^' 


fit*"*. 


EMPRESS  EUGIENIE 


H.1..M.    THE    P:.MPItESS    EltiKNlK    AT    Kl  I.I.AK.NEV,    190'^, 
^\■itll  the  Princfsse  de  la  .Moskowa,  ii^<'.  Priiifesso  Eugi-ni<'  Bonaparte. 

yi-oiiiispuct. 


THE  EMPRESS  EUGENIE 

1870—1910  :  HER  MAJESTY'S  LIFE  SINCE  « THE 
TERRIBLE  YEAR."  TOGETHER  WITH  THE  STATE- 
MENT OF  HER  CASE  •  THE  EMPEROR'S  OWN 
STORY  OF  SEDAN  •  AN  ACCOUNT  OF  HIS  EXILE 
AND  LAST  DAYS  •  AND  REMINISCENCES  OF  THE 
PRINCE  IMPERIAL  •  FROM  AUTHENTIC  SOURCES 

5j;  EDWARD   LEGGE     ^     ^     ^     ^ 


fVITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  AND  FACSIMILE  LETTERS 


CHARLES     SCRIBNER'S     SONS 

153-157   FIFTH   AVENUE,  NEW  YORK 
1910 


"  I  am  left  alone,  the  sole 
remnant  of  a  shipwreck ; 
which  proves  how  fraj^ile 
and  vain  are  the  grandeurs 
of  this  world  .   .   . 

"  I  cannot  even  die  ;  and 
God,  in  His  infinite  mercy, 
will  pive  me  a  hundred 
years  of  life." — EcckNiB. 


PKEFACE 

"It  is  all  very  beautiful — for  the  moment,"  said  Alfred 
de  Musset,  as  he  descended  the  stairs  at  the  Tuileries 
one  night,  "  but  I  would  not  give  two  sous  for  the  last 
act  !"  And  the  Empress  Eugenie,  when  asked,  at  the 
Hotel  Continental,  if  she  would  receive  some  compara- 
tive strangers,  is  credited  with  replying  :  "  They  only 
come  from  curiosity  ;  they  want  to  see  the  fifth  act !" 

Of  some  of  the  scenes  comprising  "  the  last  act,"  I 
was  an  insignificant  spectator.  One  was  the  illusory 
French  "  victory "  at  Saarbriicken,  when  the  boy- 
Prince  first  saw  the  realities  of  war  ;  another,  the  day 
long  combat  round  Sedan,  described  in  these  pages  by 
the  Emperor  Napoleon  himself.  I  owe  this  document 
to  the  good  ofiices  of  M.  Adrien  Hebrard,  Editor  of  the 
Temps. 

To  M.  Gaston  Calmette,  Editor  of  the  Figaro,  I  am 
doubly  indebted  :  first,  for  his  eloquent  and  convin- 
cing defence  of  the  Empress  Eugenie ;  and,  next,  for 
M.  Lucien  Alphonse  Daudet's  picture  of  the  Empress 
in  her  Hampshire  home — a  romantic  narrative,  fascina- 
ting alike  by  its  poetical  charm  and  its  verisimilitude, 
and  worthy  of  the  distinguished  name  of  its  creator. 

Yet  another  eminent  Parisian  has  largely  contributed 
to  make  the  volume  something  more  than  an  ephemeral 
production  ;  this  is  M.  Arthur  Meyer,  Editor  of  the 
Gaulois,  to  whose  kindness  I  owe  the  privilege  of  print- 
ing Comte  Fleury's  vivid  narratives  of  the  Emperor  at 


vi  PREFACE 

St'ilan  aiul  at  \\  illiclinsli«>hc,  written  from  the  notes, 
letters,  ami  conversations  of  his  celehrated  father, 
the  General,  whose  name  is  treasured  by  many,  His 
Majesty  the  King  included. 

Nor  must  I  omit  to  pay  tribute  to  M.  le  Comte 
d'lh'risson,  M.  Alfred  Darimon,  M.  Pierre  de  Lano, 
M.  James  de  Chambrier,  and  the  Comte  de  La  Chapelle, 
frc  111  whose  painstaking  historical  works  I  have  cited 
valuable  information — unobtainable  elsewhere,  after 
the  lapse  of  many  years — bearing  upon  the  lives  of  the 
illustrious  exiles  in  England.  M.  Augustin  Filon  shows 
us,  as  none  but  himself  could  show,  his  much-loved 
little  pupil,  the  Prince  Imperial,  long  ere  the  Emperor 
and  Empress  dreamt  that  Lowell's  dread  warning, 

"  A  shout  from  Paris,  and  thy  Crown  flies  off!" 

would  one  day  apply  to  them  as  it  had  applied  to 
another  Sovereign  of  France,  Louis  Philippe. 

Thirty-seven  years  after  the  event,  Dr.  Debout 
d'Estrees,  a  well-known  practitioner  at  Contrexeville 
and  Nice,  generously  contributes  important  evidence 
concerning  the  precise  cause  of  the  death  of 
Napoleon  IIL,  and  records  the  advice  given  by  Sir 
William  Gull  to  the  Emperor  not  to  submit  to  an 
operation.  The  Emperor  disregarded  the  warning ; 
and  Dr.  Debout  d'Estrt^es  now  assures  us  that  His 
Majesty's  death  resulted  from  blood-poisoning — not,  as 
the  Comte  de  La  Chapelle  asserted,  from  "an  over- 
dose of  chloral "  administered,  at  the  request  of  some 
of  the  doctors,  to  induce  sleep. 

I  enjoyed  from  the  day  of  the  Emperor's  death  the 
friendship  of  the  late  Monsignor  Goddard,  of  St.  Mary's 
Church,  Chislehurst,  to  whom  the  Emperor  confided  the 
religious  education  of  the  Prince  Imperial.     The  boy 


PEEFACE  vii 

"  was  as  a  son  to  me,"  said  the  worthy  priest.  To 
Mr.  George  Goddard  (one  of  his  two  brothers)  I  owe 
the  numerous  "papers"  left  by  the  Monsignor;  and  I 
gratefully  acknowledge  the  gift.  Among  the  docu- 
ments were  the  original  letters  written  to  the  priest  by, 
and  on  behalf  of,  the  Empress,  and  some  addressed  to 
the  priest  by  the  Prince  Imperial. 

I  informed  M.  Franceschini  Pietri,  the  Empress 
Eugenie's  secretary,  precisely  how  I  had  become 
possessed  of  this  imperial  correspondence,  adding  that, 
should  the  Empress  disapprove  of  the  publication  of 
any  part  of  it,  I  desired  to  present  the  whole  of  the 
letters  to  Her  Majesty.  Had  my  offer  been  accepted, 
none  of  the  letters  would  have  been  published.  But  it 
was  not  accepted  ;  nor  was  it  communicated  to  the 
Empress,  for  a  reason  explained  in  M.  Pietri's  courteous 
letter  to  me  which  is  printed  elsewhere.  Every  letter 
written  by  and  for  the  Empress  to  Monsignor  Goddard 
reveals  the  imperial  lady's  kindly  feeling  and  unfailing- 
generosity.  Those  who  have  passed  harsh  judgments 
upon  her  will  be  softened  by  them  ;  and  for  that 
reason  I  am  glad  that  the  responsibility  of  giving 
them  to  the  world  was  imposed  upon  me.  Monsignor 
Goddards  will,  I  was  informed  by  the  solicitors, 
Messrs.  Russell  and  Arnholz,  3,  Great  Winchester 
Street,  contained  no  reference  to  these  letters  or  to  any 
other  of  his  "  papers." 

Remembering  how  often  he  had  expressed  to  me  his 
dislike  of  "  interviewers,"  I  was  agreeably  surprised  at 
finding  among  the  Monsignor's  manuscripts  one  boldly 
headed,  "  My  First  Interview  with  the  Empress 
Eugenie,"  which  now  sees  the  light  nearly  forty  years 
after  it  was  written.  At  the  end  of  February,  1910, 
there  appeared  in  the  Paris  Matin   "  a  conversation 


vlii  PKKFACE 

with  the  Empress  Eii^t^nie,"  recorded  hy  the  well- 
known  Italian  journalist,  M.  Antonio  Scartbglio  ;  and, 
by  the  courteous  permission  of  the  Editor  of  the  Matin 
and  of  M.  Scarfoij^lio,  I  have  been  able  to  give  some 
extracts  from  this  literary  tour  deforce.  M.  Scarfoj^dio 
may  not  know  that  he  enjoys  the  distinction  of  being 
the  tirst  professional  writer  to  "  interview "  the 
Empress  ;  for  Monsignor  Goddard  is,  of  course,  hors 
('O)n'ours.  I  venture  to  assert  that  Her  Majesty  has, 
until  now,  remained  in  blissful  ignorance  of  the  fact 
that  in  the  first  months  of  her  exile  she  unconsciously 
posed  to  the  Chislehurst  Mission  Priest  for  a  portrait 
which  is  throughout  of  a  very  striking  character. 

The  object  originally  aimed  at  was  to  record  the 
most  noteworthy  events  in  the  lives  of  the  august 
exiles  from  the  dates  of  their  arrival  in  England — the 
Empress  and  the  Prince  Imperial  in  September,  1870, 
and  the  Emperor  in  March,  1871. 

The  scene  at  Camden  Place  on  the  day  of  the 
Emperor's  unexpected  death  has  been  dwelt  upon — not, 
it  is  hoped,  at  undue  length.  For,  as  M.  Jules  Claretie, 
writing  in  the  Temps  on  the  last  hours  of  the  late  King 
of  the  Belgians,  has  well  put  it :  "  It  is  that  which  is 
not  reported,  it  is  the  intimate  and  poignant  detail, 
the  enser)ihle  of  the  menus  faits,  of  w^hich  Stendhal 
speaks,  which  compose  the  real  tragedy."  Some  may 
recall,  too,  Comte  Albert  de  Mun's  recent  article,  in 
the  Revue  Hehdomadaire,  descriptive  of  the  funeral  of 
the  Comte  de  Chambord  ("  Les  Derniers  Jours  du 
Drapeau  Blanc  "),  in  which  he  narrates  the  discussions, 
the  rivalries,  the  pretensions,  the  terror,  the  bewilder- 
ment, the  bitternesses,  around  a  coffin. 

The  Comte  de  La  Chapelle  relates  what  he  saw  and 
heard  at  Chislehurst  on  January  9,  1873,  and  to  his 


PREFACE  ,  ix 

grim  story  I  have  added  my  own  "  intimate  and 
poignant  details  "  of  the  sombre  picture  at  Camden 
Place  that  winter  afternoon.  It  was  "  the  last  day," 
not  of  the  Monarchical  White  Flag,  but  of  the  Tri- 
colour. And  less  than  seven  years  later  a  gun-carriage 
rumbled  over  the  Common,  and  the  bright  folds  of  the 
Union  Jack  drooped  caressingly  over  another  coffin, 
with  our  Princes  as  pall-bearers,  the  while  a  Queen 
and  her  daughter  bore  a  childless  Empress  tender 
company  at  gloomy  "  Camden."  As  in  1879  a  knot  of 
fellow-workers  joined  me  in  recording  the  valour  and 
the  virtues  of  the  "  little  Prince,"  so  now,  thirty  years 
after  the  tragedy,  I  have  striven  to  perpetuate  and 
keep  for  ever  green  and  untarnished  his  fragrant 
memory. 

From  Monsignor  Goddard's  literary  remains,  and 
from  a  variety  of  other  sources — all,  I  trust,  duly 
acknowledged — I  have  woven  a  comprehensive  nar- 
rative of  the  futile  "  conspiracies  "  at  Chislehurst  and 
in  Brussels  for  the  restoration  of  the  Bonaparte 
dynasty.  It  is  difficult  to  arrive  at  the  exact  truth 
of  these  Imperialist  plottings.  Confirmation  of  some 
of  the  more  important  passages  appears  in  the  enter- 
taining and  instructive  "  Notes  from  Paris  "  published 
in  Truth  on  February  10,  1910,  a  propos  of  the  Baron 
and  Baronne  de  Bourgoing  : 

"The  Baron  had  an  unlooked-for  effect  as  a  political 
agent  of  the  Empress  Eugenie  and  her  son  [when,  of 
course,  at  Chislehurst]  in  bringing  the  Versailles 
Assembly  to  vote  the  E-epublic.  A  former  soldier  in 
the  Baron's  service,  whose  family  had  been  under  an 
obligation  to  Gambetta,  used  to  give  the  latter  in- 
formation as  to  the  Bonapartist  agitation  in  the 
Nievre.  He  came  upon  a  paper,  which  he  or  somebody 
else    purloined,  giving  figures  and  other  details  that 


X  PREFACE 

inort'  tluiLi  confirmed  all  liis  CDiniininications.  It  was 
sliowii  coiitulentijilly  to  the  principal  men  on  both 
sides  of  the  Assembly,  save,  of  course,  those  few  who 
clustered  round  M.  Kouher.  I'hey  all  saw  how  serious 
the  conspiracy  had  become,  and  they  agreed  to  feign 
K»lief  in  the  paper  having  been  dropped  in  a  railway 
carriage  by  Baron  de  Bourgoing,  and  picked  uj)  by  a 
fellow-traveller,  a  Republican.  This  led  to  all  the 
Moderates  of  every  section  agreeing  to  draw  up  a 
Constitution.  M.  Wallon,  a  religious  Gallican  candi- 
date, framed  that  instrument,  which  a  Select  Com- 
mittee of  the  Assembly  had  thrashed  out.  It  was 
voted  by  a  majority  of  a  single  voice,  and  we  have 
lived  under  it  thirty-four  years." 

The  alx)ve,  then,  is  a  valuable  item  of  evidence 
concerning  the  restoration  plot  at  Chislehurst.  The 
Baronne  de  Bourgoing  (as  the  writer  reminded  us)  is 
the  lady  who  was  pre-eminent  at  the  Franyais  in  her 
day,  first  as  Mademoiselle,  and  then  as  Madame, 
Reichenberg. 

The  facts  respecting  the  intended  issue,  after  her 
death,  of  the  pretended  "Memoirs"  of  the  Empress 
Eugenie  were  courteously  communicated  to  me  by 
M.  Franceschini  Pietri. 

The  Bonapartist  Princes  have  very  courteously  aided 
me  by  gifts  of  new  portraits.  A  lady  who  has  been  a 
devoted  friend  of  the  Empress  Eugenie  for  many  years 
generously  placed  at  my  disposal  her  valuable  collection 
of  rare  photographs  of  the  imperial  family ;  and  from 
other  ladies  who  have  long  enjoyed  the  intimate 
friendship  of  Her  Majesty  I  have  received  generous 
encouragement  and  advice.  It  was  not  possible  to 
utilize  in  this  volume  a  tithe  of  the  valuable  portraits 
of  the  Empress,  the  Emperor,  and  the  Prince  Imperial 
presented  or  lent  to  me. 

E.  L. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.    AT  HOME   IN   ENGLAND                  ...                -  1 

II.    FIRST   MONTHS   OF  EXILE             -                 -                 -                 -  21 

III.  THE   EMPEROR'S   LAST  DAYS   AT   CHISLEHURST  -                 -  39 

IV.  THE   REAL   CAUSE   OF  THE   EMPEROR'S   DEATH                     -  74 
V.    IN   THE   BLUE   SALON     -                 -                 -                 -                 -  95 

VI.   THE   emperor's   PERSONALITY  -                 -                 -                 -  105 

VII,    NAPOLEON    III.    AT   SEDAN   AND   AT   WILHELMSHOHE        -  126 

VIII.    "  HOW  WE   LOST   SEDAN  "            -                 -                 -                 -  143 

IX.    THE  TREATY   WHICH   VANISHED   FROM   CHISLEHURST      -  151 

X.    MEMORIES   OF  THE   PRINCE   IMPERIAL    -                 -                 -  158 
XL    SOME    LETTERS   OF   THE   PRINCE   IMPERIAL  WRITTEN   AT 

CHISLEHURST                -                 -                 -                -                 -  216 
XII.    LETTERS   WRITTEN    BY  THE   EMPRESS  AT  HASTINGS  AND 

CHISLEHURST                -                 -                 -                 -                 -  225 

XIII.  MY   FIRST   INTERVIEW   WITH   THE   EMPRESS   EUGENIE    -  239 

XIV.  THE   EMPRESS    AT  FARNBOROUGH   HILL                  -                 -  244 
XV.    THE   IMPERIAL   F&TE  AT   FARNBOROUGH   HILL    -                 -  260 

XVI.    WHERE  THE   DEAD   REST               -                 -                 -                 -  268 

XVII.    THE    "  CASE "   FOR  THE   EMPRESS              -                 -                 -  283 
XVIII.    THE  EMPEROR  PORTRAYS  THE  EMPRESS  "  IN  HER  TRUE 

colours"     ------  296 

xi 


xil  CONTENTS 


l-«4rTM 


XIX.    TMK      KMrRKSS      KUGI^INIE's       "MILLIONS"       AM>      THK 

KMrKKiiK's  "  fortune"        -  -  -  -  301 

X\.    TllK    KMl'Kt^S    IN    FRANCE  -  -  -  -  .'511 

\X1.     rHK     KMI-KKSS'S     SUCCESSFUL     LAWSUIT    A(;AINST    THK 

STATE 322 

XXII.   sorrow's   crown    OF   SORROW  -  -  -  336 

XXIII.  HER    "GREAT"    YEARS:     1906—1910    -  -  -  340 

XXIV.  A   LITERARY    CONSPIRACY  ...  -  361 
XXV.   THE    EMPRESS     EUGENIE    AND    MONSIGNOR    GODDARD  : 

CORRESPONDENCE       -----  368 

APPENDIX  .-..-.  386 

INDEX 402 


LIST    OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 

TO   FACE  PAOE 

H.I.M.   THE  EMPRESS  EUGENIE  AT  KILLARNEY,   1909   -  Frontispiece 

H.I.M.    THE   EMPRESS   EUGENIE,  THE   EMPEROR   NAPOLEON    III., 

AND   THE   PRINCE   IMPERIAL           -                 -                 -                -  40 

THE   EMPEROR   NAPOLEON    III.   AT   CHISLEHURST             -                 -  64 

DR.    DEBOUT   D'ESTR^ES              -                -                -                 -                -  86 

H.I.H.    THE   LATE   PRINCE   IMPERIAL      -                -                -                 -  160 

H.LH.    THE   LATE   PRINCE   IMPERIAL     -                -                 -                 -  180 

H.I.H.  PRINCE  NAPOLEON  (HEAD  OF  THE  HOUSE  OF  BONAPARTE)  192 
H.I.M.   THE   EMPRESS   EUGENIE,  THE   EMPEROR   NAPOLEON   III., 

AND  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL  -  .  .  .  202 
RESIDENCE   OF   H.I.M.    THE   EMPRESS   EUGENIE,    FARNBOROUGH 

HILL,    HANTS          -..-_-  248 

H.I.M.    THE   EMPRESS   EUGENIE   AT  ALDERSHOT                -                 -  258 

ABBEY   OF   ST.    MICHAEL,   FARNBOROUGH   HILL,    HANTS                 -  268 

THE   LATE   VERY   REV.    MONSIGNOR  GODDARD  -                -                 -  272 

THE  RME.  PERE  ABBE,  DOM  F.  CABROL  -  -  -  272 
H.I.H.   GENERAL  PRINCE   LOUIS   NAPOLEON   BONAPARTE   (ONLY 

BROTHER  OF  THE  PRETENDER)  -  -  -  302 
VILLA     CYRNOS,     CAP     MARTIN,     RESIDENCE     OF     H.I.M.     THE 

EMPRESS   EUGliNIE               -                 -                 -                 -                 -  316 

H.I.H.  PRINCE  ROLAND  BONAPARTE  -  -  -  -  344 
H.R.H.  PRINCE   GEORGE   OF   GREECE,    H.R.H.    PRINCESS   GEORGE 

{nie    PRINCESS    MARIE    BONAPARTE),    AND    H.R.H.    PRINCE 

PifeTROS    -------  356 


EMPRESS  EUGENIE 

CHAPTER  I 

AT  HOME  IN  ENGLAND 

"When,  the  day  after  the  battle  of  Sedan,  the  Prince  de  la 
Tour  d'Auvergne  officially  informed  the  Empress  Eugenie  that  the 
Emperor  was  a  prisoner,  she  exclaimed  :  '  You  lie,  sir  !  He  is 
dead  !' 

Later,  M.  de  Vougy  handed  her  a  telegram,  and  she  read  : 
'  The  army  is  defeated.     I  am  a  prisoner. — Napoleon.'  " 

The  war  was  raging,  the  siege  of  Paris  had  begun, 
Napoleon  III.  w^as  still  the  King  of  Prussia's  prisoner 
at  Wilhelmshohe,  when,  in  the  autumn  of  1870,  the 
Empress  Eugenie  and  the  Prince  Imperial  took  up 
their  abode  at  Camden  Place,  Chislehurst. 

The  mansion  received  its  name  from  the  famous 
antiquary  and  historian,  William  Camden,  who, 
whilst  residing  at  Chislehurst,  wrote  his  "  Annals  of 
the  Reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth."  After  the  death  of 
Camden,  who  was  buried  in  Westminster  Abbey  in 
November,  1623,  the  estate  passed  into  the  hands  of 
the  Pratt  family,  one  of  whom.  Sir  Charles  Pratt, 
Lord  Chief  Justice  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas, 
was  raised  to  the  peerage  some  century  and  a  half  ago 
as  Baron  Camden  of  Camden  Place,  Kent.  Anti- 
quarians of  the  past  found  in  the  little  park  an  object 
of  interest  in  the  shape  of  a  celebrated  piece  of  archi- 

1 


KMIMIKSS  EUGl'NME 

tiTtiUf  known  ;is  the  "  lanli'in  ol  I  )(.uu)stlit'iU's  '  or 
"  cliorauic  nionuiucnt  of  LysiiTatcs." 

lu'fore  ''  Canulcn  "  passed  into  the  luiiuls  of  Mr.  N. 
Strode,  it  was  iiniiihai)ite(l  for  many  years,  ])rol)al)ly 
lieeause  a  doul>le  murder  liad  hcen  committed  tliere. 
Tlie  tenants,  an  old  eou])le,  were  the  victims  ol'  an 
undeteeted.  tlioiiuli  not  an  unsuspected,  criminal. 
With  till'  aui'd  ])air  their  son  and  one  servant  had 
lived.  The  latter  disappeared  immediately  after  the 
murder  ;  the  son  was  arrested,  but  no  evidence  con- 
necting; him  with  tlie  crime  was  forthcoming,  and, 
after  the  inquiry,  he  continued  to  reside  in  the  house 
until  his  death.  By  his  own  wish  he  was  buried  in  the 
tomb  which  contained  the  remains  of  his  ])arents,  and 
on  the  stone  he  caused  to  be  engraved  the  mystic 
words  :  "  Fear  not ;  it  is  I."  The  Prince  Imperial, 
strollinir  through  the  graveyard,  discovered  the 
epitapli,  and  was  then  told  the  story  of  the  crime. 

"  Perhaps,"  said  the  Prince,  "  that  inscription  was 
the  murderer's  confession.  Entering  his  parents' 
room,  he  may  have  exclaimed,  to  allay  their  suspicions 
and  to  render  his  ill-deed  the  easier  of  execution  : 
•  Fear  not  ;  it  is  I.'  " 

The  Prince  often  discussed  the  tragedy  with  those 
friends  who  visited  the  Emperor  and  Empress,  and 
sought  their  opinion  of  his  theory. 

A  new  version  of  the  Empress's  departure  from 
the  Tuileries  on  September  4,  1870,  has  been  recently 
published.  Here,  then,  it  is  only  necessary  to  note  that 
Her  Majesty,  accompanied  by  Mme.  Lebreton-Bour- 
baki,  was  safely  escorted  by  Mr.  Evans  to  Deauville, 
and  was  landed  at  Ryde  by  Sir  John  M.  Burgoyne  on 
the  8th.  The  little  party  rested  at  the  York  Hotel 
for  a  few  hours,  and  then  crossed  in  the  ordinary 


AT  HOME  IN  ENGLAND  3 

steamboat  to  Portsmouth.  During  the  day  it  had 
been  ascertained  that  the  Prince  Imperial  was  at 
Hastings,  and  tliither  the  Empress  at  once  proceeded. 

On  the  day  of  his  mother's  arrival  at  Ryde  the 
young  Prince  had  reached  Dover,  and  had  immedi- 
ately been  taken  to  Hastings  by  Commandants 
Duperre  and  Lamney  and  Comte  Clary,  Avho  had 
escorted  him  from  Ostend.  The  Emperor  had  parted 
from  his  son  shortly  before  the  fighting  at  Sedan,  and 
the  poor  boy  had  been  taken  from  place  to  place  until 
the  final  stage  of  his  wanderings,  Ostend,  was  reached. 
The  sojourn  of  the  Empress  and  the  Prince  at  Hastings 
lasted  from  September  8  until  September  24,  when 
they  left  for  Chislehurst. 

As  descriptive  of  choses  vues^  the  impressions  of  a 
lady  who  witnessed  the  arrival  of  the  illustrious  exile 
at  Hastings  may  be  cited  from  the  Westminster 
Gazette : 

"  I  was  strolling  on  the  East  Parade,  when  I  noticed 
that  loungers  halted  in  evident  anticipation.  '  The 
Empress  Eugenie  is  coming  from  the  station,'  said 
someone  to  me.  Soon,  in  an  open  fly,  there  appeared 
two  ladies  in  black,  one  of  these,  very  pale,  but 
perfectly  serene,  middle-aged,  and  handsome  still, 
gracefully  acknowledging  the  salutations  of  the 
onlookers.  It  was  the  Empress.  Joined  bj-  her 
son  and  his  tutor,  the  little  party  spent  some  days  at 
the  Albion  Hotel.  Their  wishes  for  entire  privacy 
were  respected  ;  indeed,  very  little  interest  was  taken 
in  the  imperial  refugees.  Every  morning,  in  fine 
weather,  mother  and  son  would  climb  the  East  Hill 
(not  then,  as  now,  disfigured  by  a  lift),  and  revel  in 
the  sea-blow  and  the  view.  On  the  eve  of  departure 
the  little  Prince  called  upon  the  Mayor  to  thank  him 
for  the  undisturbed  quiet  they  had  enjoyed,  and  for 
the  respectful  aloofness  of  the  population.  ...     In 

1—2 


J  KMIMIKSS  KUOKNIK 

ls."».'»  1  \\a>  ;it  :i  l\'(kli:im  lioardinii -sclioul,  and  I 
ronu'inluT  that  all  tlir  uirls  wvvv  called  ii|>  to  some 
jjpot — I  fiuiri't  where — to  see  the  (Jueeii,  rrince 
APnTt,  tlie  l'ni|)eror  Napoleon,  and  the  I'.iuprcss 
Kuireiiie  pass  on  their  wav  to  the  Crystal  I'alace. 
Never  shall  1  foruet  that  vision  of  a  loveliness  whicli 
seemed  positiveh  to  scintillate.  The  Spanish  are 
notahlv  a  handsome  race,  and  in  the  person  of  this 
L:«)|(K'n-liaired  Andalnsian  was  realized  the  })erfectil)ility 
«»f  form,  feature,  an<l  colourinii^." 

A  movinii:  scene  was  enacted  at  Dover  one  Marcli 
tlav  in  the  following  year,  and  it  was  witnessed  by  a 
curiously-composed  crowd  of  French  and  English. 
Tiie  gaze  of  the  assemblage  was  riveted  on  a  beautiful, 
stately  woman  and  a  slim  youth,  who  were  anxiously 
awaitini:  the  incoming  of  the  Ostend  boat.  The 
woman  was  the  Empress  of  the  French,  the  boy 
the  Prince  Imperial,  the  central  figures  in  a  group  of 
relations  and  friends — Prince  Murat,  Prince  (Jerome) 
Napoleon,  and  Prince  Louis  Lucien  Bonaparte  (a  resi- 
dent in  London)  amongst  them. 

As  the  steamer  came  alongside,  the  excitement  of 
the  watchers  became  more  intense,  for  they  had 
already  recognized  on  the  deck  Napoleon  IIL,  General 
Fleury,  Baron  Hekren,  and  another  of  the  Murats — 
Prince  Achille.  A  few  minutes  later  the  Emperor, 
all  smiles,  was  clasping  his  consort  in  his  arms,  and 
"  passionately  "  kissing  his  son.  The  boy  saluted  his 
father  on  both  cheeks. 

To  officially  welcome  the  former  ruler  of  France, 
there  came — of  all  men  in  the  world — the  Coroner, 
Mr.  W.  H.  Pain,  who,  addressing  the  Emperor, 
said  : 

"  As  Mayor  of  Dover,  I  received  your  Majesty  on 


AT  HOME  IN  ENGLAND  5 

the  occasion  of  your  visit  to  England,  as  Queen 
Victoria's  guest,  fifteen  years  ago,  and  I  now  repeat 
my  salutations." 

Tiie  Emperor  smiled,  said  a  few  words  of  thanks, 
and  then,  with  the  Empress  (who  could  not  restrain  her 
tears,  and  looked  somewhat  frightened  at  the  extra- 
ordinary "  demonstration ")  and  the  Prince  Imperial, 
slowly  moved  towards  the  South-Eastern  terminus. 
The  crowd  pressed  round  the  imperial  trio,  and 
progress  was  slow  ;  sometimes  all  three  were  almost 
lifted  from  their  feet.  However,  aided  by  the  police, 
they  at  length  forced  their  way  to  the  Lord  Warden 
Hotel  amidst  vociferous  cheering,  the  waving  of  hats 
and  pocket-handkerchiefs,  and  shouts,  by  French  and 
English  alike,  of  "  Vive  TEmpereur !"  "  Vive  I'lm- 
peratrice  !"  The  Emperor  and  his  son  shook  hands 
impartially  with  friends  and  strangers,  and  pressed 
the  tiny  palms  of  children  ;  ladies  and  men  kissed  the 
imperial  lady's  hand.  When  the  party  entered  the 
special  train,  there  were  seen  with  them  Comte 
Davilliers  (the  equerry  who  had  been  by  the  Emperor's 
side  throughout  the  campaign,  never  leaving  him,  in 
fact),  Drs.  Corvisart  and  Conneau  (also  his  com- 
panions), M.  Raimbeau,  M.  Franceschini  Pietri, 
Mme.  Conneau  and  her  son,  Mme.  Lebreton-Bourbaki, 
Major  Dickson,  M.P.,  and  Lady  North  (who  had 
accompanied  the  Empress  from  Chislehurst  to  Dover). 
A  warm  greeting  awaited  the  exiles  at  Chislehurst, 
and  to  tlie  accompaniment  of  more  cheers  and  saluta- 
tions they  drove  to  Camden  Place,  eighteen  waggon- 
loads  of  luggage  preceding  them. 

As  the  Emperor  set  foot  on  English  soil,  he  once 
more  tasted  the  joy  of  freedom.  To  a  man  who  had 
known  six  years'  imprisonment  in  a  French  fortress. 


6  I.MIMIESS  EUGENIE 

(li»tonti»»n  iii  n  (.TtTiUMU  cliAtcau — ;i  jtahicc,  rather — 
fur  li'>>  tlian  si'ven  months  was  coniparativelv  pleasur- 
al)K'.  As  he  liad  t'litcrcil  it — vcrv  corjnilent,  fn^vey- 
liairml,  snllo\v-ci)m])K'\ione(l,  with  l)ri2:ht  ])i(.>r('in2;  eyes 
and  tiinuHl-u])  moiistacho,  weariiii;-  the  full  uniform  of 
a  Sfcneral  niiinis  a  sword  —so  he  had  departed  from  it 
with  all  the  honours  accorded  to  Sovereigns.  The 
last  day  of  his  captivity  was  March  11).  It  was 
a  Sunilay,  and,  although  the  jireliminaries  of  peace 
had  heen  si2;ned,  no  order  from  headquarters  for  the 
release  of  the  prisoner  was  received  until  the  Friday 
previous.  On  Saturday  Marshal  Bazaine  and  his  wife 
arrived  to  tiike  leave  of  Napoleon.  Prussian  officers 
assenihled  early,  and  the  Catholic  Dean  of  Cassel 
was  there  to  celehrate  Mass  in  the  chateau  for  the  last 
time.  The  guard  of  lionour  was  composed  of  men  of 
tiie  S'^rd  Regiment,  and  when  the  Emperor  appeared 
at  the  portico  they  presented  arms  and  the  tifes  and 
drums  played.  He  inspected  the  guard,  and  then 
entered  one  of  the  eight  royal  carriages  vs^hich  had 
heen  provided  to  take  him  and  his  attendants  to  the 
railway-station.  The  carriage  containing  Na])oleon 
was  drawn  by  four  superb  Trakhene  stallions,  sent 
from  Berlin  l)y  the  Emperor  William's  orders. 
General  Count  Monts  sat  on  the  left  of  Napoleon, 
General  Vaubert  and  Commander  HefF  opposite.  At 
the  station  a  full  band,  with  six  drums,  played  the 
great  "  Zapfenstreich,"  which  had  greeted  the  captive 
on  the  day  of  his  arrival,  four  days  after  the  battle 
of  Sedan  ;  and,  said  an  eyewitness  of  the  last  scene 
of  all  :  '•  I  never  saw  him  so  moved  before.  He 
walked  up  and  down  in  front  of  the  soldiers  present- 
ing arms,  then  took  ott"  his  hat  in  salutation  of  the 
troojjs,  not  being  able  to  suppress  a  tear  in  his  eye. 


AT  HOME  IN  ENGLAND  7 

He  shook  hands  with  General  Monts  ;  and  then  he 
was  gone." 

Wilhehnshohe  had  a  familiar  ring  in  the  ears  of 
Napoleon  HI.,  and  he  could  recall  the  time  when 
it  was  Napoleonshohe,  the  residence  of  his  micle 
Jerome,  King  of  Westphalia,  brother  of  Napoleon  I., 
and  grandfather  of  Prince  Victor,  the  present  Bona- 
partist  Pretender.  King  Jerome  was  so  far  from 
being  a  pillar  of  morality  that  the  good  folk  of 
Westphalia  cried  aloud  at  his  doings.  The  tale  of 
his  evil  courses  naturally  penetrated  to  the  Tuileries, 
arousing  Napoleon  I.  to  a  show  of  indignation. 
"  Brother  Jerome  Napoleon,"  said  his  elder,  "  you 
are  fond  of  good  cheer  and  of  the  ladies  :  the  first 
intoxicates  you  ;  the  second  make  you  talked  about." 
Napoleon  III.  chanced  to  be  visiting  his  cousin, 
Elise  Baciocchi,  in  the  Morbihan,  when  news  was 
brought  him  that  Jerome  was  seriously  ill — that  his 
end  was  approaching.  The  Emperor  sent  for  Cardinal 
Morlot,  begging  him  to  go  to  the  King  immediately. 
"  Napoleon  I.  died  a  Catholic,"  said  the  Emperor, 
"  and  I  wish  my  uncle  Jerome  to  die  '  properly.'  " 
The  Cardinal  started  forthwith  for  Napoleonshohe, 
and  so  the  wicked  old  monarch's  last  moments  were 
solaced  "with  all  the  sacraments  of  the  Church." 

The  crowd  at  Dover  had  cheered  the  Emperor  as 
if  there  stood  before  them  some  great  English  captain 
fresh  from  victory. 

"  What  are  we  to  think,"  asked  the  Times^  "  and 
what  will  the  Germans  think,  and  what  will  the 
French  people  think,  of  all  this  eiFusive  and  un- 
qualified admiration  ?  What,  indeed,  will  Louis 
Napoleon  himself  think  of  it  when  the  quietude  of 
Chislehurst  enables  him  to  review  the  events  of  the 


8  l.MI'UKSS   FAUiRNIK 

ilav  ?  \\n-  llu'  last  six  inontlis  he  has  heon  treated 
as  tlu'  s(:i|)i'm)at  in  a  ureal  national  calamity.  llie 
Freneli  svnipatlii/ers  in  this  conntry,  conscious  ot 
tlie  weakness  oi'  the  I'rench  cause,  visited  all  its 
faults  on  tlie  e\-i'"juj)eror  s  head.  It  was  he,  they 
>aid,  wlio  had  |>lnnLied  France  into  war  and  conducted 
her  to  inevitable  ruin.  They  would  not  even  rccog- 
ni/.e  the  |)rovt>cation  drawn  from  the  aunrandi/.ement 
of  Prussia,  or  the  satisfaction  with  which,  until  its 
disjisters  began,  the  war  was  held  by  the  most  promi- 
ni'iit  classes  of  Frenclinien.  They  laid  at  his  door 
every  j)iece  of  misfortune.  ...  It  is  hard  to  dis- 
cover in  the  terrible  events  of  the  last  eiffht  months 
any  one  incident  or  jiurjiose  Avhicli  entitles  Louis 
Na|)ole«)n  t«)  the  a]»i>lausi'  of  j»o|»ular  acclamation. 
.  .  .  What  becomes  of  all  the  lavish  sympathy  with 
France  '  after  Sedan '  if  the  '  Man  of  Sedan,'  after 
all.  is  found  to  be  the  idol  of  the  hour  ?  .  .  .  It 
must  appear,  we  imagine,  to  Germans,  Frenchmen, 
and  all  other  people  who  read  the  story,  that  English- 
men lend  themselves  to  the  work  of  the  moment  w^ith 
mo.st  unthinking  minds.  We,  as  a  nation,  have  less 
complaint  against  him  than  any  other,  and  it  would 
certainly  l)e  hard  if  a  refuge  which  is  never  denied 
to  political  exiles  should  be  rendered  unpleasant  to 
one  who  has  so  often  proved  himself  our  friend." 

When  the  Emperor  landed,  it  was  seen  that  he  Mas 
somewhat  stouter,  and  much  greyer,  than  he  had  been 
before  his  captivity — before  that  September  morning 
when  he  tendered  his  sword  to  the  victorious  monarch, 
and  telegraphed  to  the  F^mpress : 

"  I  am  the  King  of  Prussia's  prisoner.  Take  the 
Prince  to  Enii'land." 

Camden  Place  was  injt  unfamiliar  to  the  Emperor. 
He  remembered  it  as  the  home  of  a  charming  girl, 
with  whom  he  had  been  smitten   in   his  earlier  days. 


AT  HOME  IN  ENGLAND  9 

Miss  Emily  Rowles,  who  at  that  period  in  the  history 
of  Louis  Napoleon  resided  with  her  father  at 
"  Camden,"  had  looked  favourably  upon  the  young 
Prince — had,  in  fact,  accepted  him.  All  the  arrange- 
ments for  the  marriao-e  were  made.  Miss  Rowles 
had  received  numerous  presents,  amongst  them  being 
some  valuable  furs  and  other  things  which  had  be- 
longed to  the  Empress  Josephine  and  to  Louis 
Napoleon's  mother,  Queen  Hortense.  But  Miss 
Rowles  no  sooner  heard  of  the  infatuation  of  her 
wooer  for  one  Miss  Howard  than  she  broke  ofF  her 
engagement  to  the  Prince,  and  subsequently  married 
the  Marquis  Campana,  an  Italian  nobleman.  The 
Marquis  was  at  a  later  date  involved  in  a  financial 
scandal,  in  which  the  Italian  State  pawnshop,  the 
Monte  di  pieta,  figured,  and  was  imprisoned.  In  her 
wifely  distress,  the  Marquise  appealed  to  her  old 
flame,  and  the  Marquis  was  liberated  as  the  result 
of  an  urgent  request  from  the  Tuileries,  where, 
by  this  time,  the  rejected  of  Emily  Rowles  was 
beginning  to  attract  the  world's  attention  as 
Napoleon  III. 

The  large  house  facing  the  common  had  been  taken, 
furnished,  for  the  imperial  exiles  by  the  late  Mr. 
Thomas  W.  Evans,  an  American  dentist  then,  and  for 
many  years  subsequently,  practising  in  Paris.  The 
owner  of  the  property  was  the  late  Mr.  N.  Strode, 
whose  place  of  business  was  in  Trafalgar  Square.  It 
has  been  told  of  him  (I  know  not  with  what  accuracy) 
that  he  had  predicted  that  "  something  would  happen  " 
to  cause  the  Emperor  to  take  refuge  in  this  country, 
and  that  "  Camden "  would  one  day  become  His 
Imperial  Majesty's  home. 

Until   the    Emperor's   death,    the    semblance   of  a 


10  KMPKKSS  KUGRNIK 

Conn  \\:is  maintaint'd  at  ('aiuilcii  lMac(\  A  imnil)('i' 
of  ivlativi's  aii'l  iriciids  iiiailc  it  tlirir  dccasional  lioiiu'. 
Till'  lu'st  known  ol  tlu-so  partisans  (»!"  tlic  ovii- 
thrown  (Ivnastv  wciv  tlio  Princi's  Murat,  tlic  Dnc  and 
nnclu'ssi'  dc  Mou(d»v,  Harun  (ronri^and,  Haron  .IfTome 
David.  M.  l.avalott<',  M.  Henri  Clicvrcau.  flie  Casa- 
blanca faniilv,  and  M.  CK'Mnent  Duvernois.  M.  KouIht 
Hittod  to  and  fro,  and  his  word  was  law  until  the 
Knipcrors  arrival  trom  (iirnuiny.  But  he  was 
alwavs  a  power  at  Chislehnrst. 

rroniincnt  official  members  of  tlie  imperial  hoiise- 
iiold  were  the  I>uc  de  Bassano,  the  (\)mte  and  Comtesse 
Clarv,  Dr.  Baron  Corvisart,  Dr.  and  jNInie.  Conneau, 
M.  Franceschini  Pietri  (still  the  secretary  of  tlie 
Kni|iress,  as  he  iiad  aforetime  been  secretary  of  tlie 
Eni|)eror),  the  Comte  Davilliers  (formerly  premier 
••cnver),  Muie.  Lebreton-I)OMrl)aki  (sister  of  (leneral 
lioiirbaki.  who  had  commanded  a  corps  during  the 
war,  Mme.  de  Arcos,  and  Mile,  de  Larminat.  Mme. 
Lebreton,  Spanish  by  birth,  was  for  years  a  great 
favourite  of  the  Empress.  She  had  lost  her  son,  a 
delii^htful  youiii::  nian,  in  the  war,  and  had  made  many 
sacrifices  in  order  to  reside  with  the  Empress  in 
England.  The  Rev.  I.  Goddard  (afterwards  raised  to 
the  ditrnity  of  a  Monsignor),  who  was  in  charge  of 
the  Catholic  Church  of  St.  Mary,  was  a  daily  visitor 
at  Camden  Place.  Later  came  the  Due  de  Camba- 
c^res. 

A  legion  of  domestics  soon  came  into  being  ;  amongst 
tliem  were  Delafosse,  maitre  d'hotel  ;  Uhlmann, 
the  l^rince  Imperial's  valet  ;  and  Alexandre,  the  chef, 
with  two  principal  assistants.  It  was  a  large  esta])lisli- 
ment,  necessitating  the  employment  of  a  numerous 
.staff'  of  servants.     On  September  10  there  had  reached 


AT  HOME  IN  ENGLAND  11 

Harwich  twenty-two  of  the  Emperor's  horses,  two 
carriages,  and  a  portion  o£  the  imperial  cortege  at 
Sedan.  Sixteen  servants  accompanied  this  contingent, 
of  which  Comte  Daure  had  charge. 

Shortly  after  the  defeat  at  Sedan,  M.  Augustin 
Filon  came  to  England,  and  soon  became  a  well- 
known  figure  in  literary  and  social  circles.  He  was 
the  young  Prince's  tutor.  M.  Lennheim  taught  the 
Prince  German,  and  M.  Richards  mathematics.  The 
Emperor  himself  instructed  his  son  in  history  and 
"  the  art  of  government."  In  October  the  Prince 
became  an  occasional  student  at  Kino;'s  Colle2"e  in  the 
classes  for  mathematics  and  physics,  going  to  and  fro 
daily.  Then  he  passed  into  the  Royal  Military 
Academy  at  Woolwich  with  his  friend,  young 
Conneau  —  Louis  Napoleon  Eugene  Jean  Joseph 
Conneau,  son  of  Dr.  and  Mme.  Conneau  (the  lady 
with  the  beautiful  voice,  who  later  entered  the  ranks 
of  professional  singers  and  teachers,  and  was  first 
heard  at  the  Crystal  Palace). 

Shortly  before  the  Emperor's  arrival  at  "  Camden  " 
the  Prince  Imperial  joined  the  Chislehurst  troop  of 
the  West  Kent  (Queen's  Own)  Yeomanry  Cavalry, 
commanded  by  the  Earl  of  Darnley.  The  Prince,  in 
plain  clothes,  attended  one  drill  of  the  troop  on 
Chislehurst  Common,  and  Quartermaster  Holland 
was  instructed  to  prepare  his  uniform  and  accoutre- 
ments as  a  "  ranker."  A  Bonaparte  serving  as  a  full 
private  in  an  English  yeomanry  regiment — this  was 
what  to-day  would  be  called  a  "  record."  But  I  fancy 
that  the  Prince's  connection  with  the  Chislehurst 
troop  was  a  brief  one,  only  a  prelude  to  the 
"  Academy."  Later  in  the  year  the  Prince  welcomed 
the   arrival    of    a    dear    old    friend  —  Tambour,    his 


V2  KMrUESS  ErOENTE 

frtvtniritt'  poiiv.  wliicli  rrincesRc  iMatliildc  had  pur- 
i-liastnl  at  t'lu-  (»f  tlu'  sales  of  tlu-  imperial  clVccts, 
anu>ni:st  tliiMii  Ix'iiiii-  the  horses  and  earria^i's  wliicli 
had  ft»rinerlv  helonued  tt)  tlie  Sovereigns.  During 
tlie  siege  tlie  animals  had  heen  worked  verv  hard,  and 
had  greatly  tlepreeiated  in  actual  value,  yet  tliey  all 
realized  liigh  prices,  and  the  carriages  and  tlie  mess 
plate  of  the  old  Imperial  (uiard  were  eagerly  bid  f<n' 
when  they,  too,  eame  under  the  hammer. 

Tlie  Kmperor  spent  most  of  his  time  in  his  study, 
writini::  much  and  reading  much,  and  devoting  all  his 
lei>ure  to  tlu-  instruction  of  his  son.  For  many  years 
— long  before  the  war — he  suH'ered  acutely  from  an 
internal  malady  ;  this  caused  him  unspeakable  agony 
when  in  the  saddle,  and  during  his  scarcely  two  years' 
residence  at  Camden  Place  he  was  seen  on  horseback 
onlv  three  times.  ( )ne  saw  him,  on  a  handsome 
"  mount,"  ins})ecting  the  cadets  from  Woolwich, 
drawn  up  in  ])arade  order  before  Camden  Place  ;  once 
he  rode  slowly  to  Bickley,  but  when  he  had  got  back 
to  "  ramden"  he  was  so  exhausted  that  he  had  to  be 
almost  lifted  from  the  saddle.  A  good  rider,  with  a 
])erfect  "  seat,"  he  was  an  attractive  figure  on  horse- 
back. He  liked  to  stroll  on  the  common,  usually 
leaning  on  the  Empress's  arm,  and  sometimes  accom- 
panied by  the  Prince.  The  favourite  walk  was  to 
St.  i'aul's  Cray  Common,  Everybody  seemed  to 
know  them,  and  gave  them  respectful  greeting. 
Sometimes  the  Emperor  would  stop  at  a  certain  shop, 
and  have  a  familiar  talk  with  the  parrot,  Jacob,  the 
joy  of  the  establishment.  Clubmen  read,  with  not  a 
little  amusement,  that  the  Emperor  had  been  elected 
a  member  of  the  "Corinthian,"  in  Regent  Street  ! 
Many     j)eople     had     recognized     the     Emperor    and 


AT  HOME  IN  ENGLAND  13 

Empress  as  they  drove  through  the  crowded  West 
End  to  Buckingham  Palace  on  the  great  day  of  the 
thanksgiving  service  at  St.  Paul's  for  the  recovery  of 
the  Prince  of  Wales. 

It  was  a  life  of  quiet  dignity  that  was  lived  at  the 
big  house.  Monotonous  it  assuredly  was  not.  A  man 
who  has  ruled  a  great  empire  cannot,  even  if  he  would, 
suddenly  assume  the  character  of  a  humdrum  country 
gentleman.  The  crown  had  been  trampled  into  the 
mire,  Alsace  and  Lorraine  torn  away  from  France,  an 
indemnity  of  £200,000,000  levied,  and  the  country 
"  occupied "  by  the  Teutons,  who  were  in  partial 
possession  when  Napoleon  III.  landed  at  Dover.  But 
there  were  many  who,  as  will  be  narrated,  dreamt 
of,  and  worked  for,  a  restoration  of  the  overthrown 
dynasty,  remembering  that,  if  anything  happened  to 
the  fallen  Emperor,  there  was  the  boy-Prince  growing 
into  manhood.  The  Emperor  could  not  avoid  seeing 
and  conferring  with  those  who  "  dreamt  dreams,"  as 
he  himself  had  done  aforetime.  An  army  of  courtiers 
and  officials,  of  ambassadors,  generals,  and  admirals, 
with  crowds  of  the  smaller  fry,  had  been,  by  the 
chances  of  war,  expelled  from  their  posts  and  reduced 
to  nothingness.  What  more  natural  than  that  these 
clamorous  "  out-o'-works "  should  besiege  Chisle- 
hurst  ?  Every  week  saw  them  crossing  the  Channel 
and  demanding  admittance  to  Camden  Place.  De- 
throned Ciesar  had  to  receive  them,  even  had  to 
assume  a  certain  cheerfulness,  nolens  volens.  It  is 
pleasant  to  know  that  there  were  also  many,  very 
many,  genuine  friends  who  came  on  a  mission  of 
consolation  and  affection  ;  and  what  a  warm  welcome 
there  was  for  such ! 

That  Napoleon  III.  had  a  rare  capacity  for  making, 


n  KMPVvKSS  ErOF.NlK 

aiul  kiH-jtini;.  Iriiii(l>  \v;»s  one  ol  liis  \iitius,  liuitly 
atliuitti'd  1>N  I'Vfii  Ill's  hitlt  rest  :i(lv('rs;iri('s.  niul  lie  IkuI 
tlu'in  in  al)Uinlanci'  to  tlu'  end.  lie  liaci  his  Kniilisli 
frinuls.  too.  aiul  otluTs  wlio,  altlioujxli  not  of  our  own 
rountrv,  ivsiiU-d  \\vrc.  ( )t'  tlio  fornuT  (to  name  only 
two  or  tlirrc)  wen*  Lord  :intl  I^ady  Sydney  and  tlic 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  liortliwirk  ol"  tliose  distant  days. 
Mr.  r.ortliwicdv  (the  hitc  Lord  (Jlencsk)  was  a  sage 
counsellor  as  well  as  a  (dierished  friend  ;  in  fact,  the 
etlitor-proprietor  of  tiie  Mihii'uiu;  Post  liad  been />r/'.vo7/ri 
S[rntn  at  tlie  Tuileries  for  some  twenty  years  before 
the  war,  ami  enjoyed  the  full  confidence  of  tlie 
Sovereiicn. 

Napoleon  111.  was  indifferent  to  what  are  called  the 
pleasures  of  the  dinner-table.  He  preferred  plain  fare 
wlien  he  could  get  it.  His  favourite  dish  was  perdrix 
(iK.r  rltdux^  but  it  was  seldom  placed  on  the  table  owing 
to  the  obstinacy  of  Alexandre  (the  chef  at  Chislehurst) 
and  his  wife.  Comte  Clary  would  go  to  the  kitchens 
and  personally  tell  the  cook  that  His  Majesty  wished 
to  have  partridges  (with  sweet  cabbage)  for  lunch  or 
dinner.  Alexandre  called  the  gods  to  register  his  vow 
that  the  birds  should  be  served  in  obedience  to  the 
Knij)eror's  command.  But  the  partridges  seldom,  if 
ever,  ajipeared,  a  frequent  excuse  being  that  none 
could  be  LTOt. 

■'  1  thought  we  were  to  have  perdrix  mix  choux 
to-day,"  the  Emperor  would  say,  in  his  mild,  drawling 
tones.  And  there  would  be  an  explosion  of  wrath 
from  the  other  side  of  the  table,  for  Clary  was  less 
dispo.sed  than  his  imperial  master  to  put  up  with  the 
chef's  whims  and  crotchets.  It  required  something 
more  than  the  absence  of  partridges  from  the  menu  to 
disturb  tlie  equanimity  and  phlegm  of  Napoleon  III. 


AT  HOME  TN  ENGLAND  15 

There  was  not  a  little  quiet  entertaining  at  Camden 
Place  in  1871  and  1872,  although  less  than  there  might 
have  been  had  it  not  been  more  and  more  recognized 
that  the  Emperor's  health  was  visibly  declining.  His 
indomitable  will  seemed  to  enable  him  to  defy  the 
insidious  march  of  his  malady,  and  many  share  the 
opinion  of  those  who  knew  him  best  that  but  for  the 
bitter  humiliations  consequent  on  the  disasters  of  1870 
his  life  might  have  been  prolonged. 

He  was  a  most  melancholy  contrast  to  the  Emperor 
whom  I  first  saw  in  Paris  one  15th  of  August,  the 
Festival  of  the  Assumption,  the  great  Bonapartist 
fete-day.  Emperor,  Empress,  and  little  Prince  were 
together.  Streets  and  houses  were  flagged,  bells  rang, 
bands  pealed,  troops  of  all  arms  swarmed  (to  young 
eyes  and  vivid  imaginations  there  appeared  to  be 
millions),  the  crowds  (those  must  have  been  "  in  their 
millions ")  cheered,  gesticulated,  and  waved  hands, 
hats,  and  pocket-handkerchiefs  in  a  delirium  of 
pleasure.  I  recall  the  pointed  waxed  moustache  (so 
grey  and  limp  at  Chislehurst),  the  tuft  on  the  chin, 
the  keen  eyes,  the  calm,  melancholy,  inscrutable  face, 
and  the  dignified  pose.  I  had  heard  much,  and  read 
more,  of  the  dash  and  pluck  of  his  soldiers  when  they 
stood  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  ours  in  the  Crimea  ; 
and  for  this  I  felt — ice  felt — that  it  was  due  to  him  to 
shout  with  all  the  force  of  young  lungs  :  "  Vive 
I'Empereur  !  Vive  I'lmperatrice  !  Vive  le  Prince 
Imperial  !"  The  Empress  was  lovely  ;  no  need  to 
dwell  upon  that.  She  was  the  most  divine  creature 
we  had  ever  seen — with  one  exception,  nearer  home. 
The  bonny  Prince  smiled  all  over  his  sunny  face — 
smiled,  and  saluted  most  correctly. 

I  had   seen  Imperialism  in  all  its  splendour  and 


16  KMlMtKSS  KUnENlK 

nuiijnitiri'iuT.  In  tlif  Kmui-afttT  I  was  to  st'i"  it  in  its 
trav:it*  liumilialion,  tliroiiirli  the  smoke  and  tire  and 
I>1o«hI  of  the  l)atth'-fiehl,  and  to  liear  tlie  re(|iiienis 
elianted  for  tht>  father  and  the  son. 

ChisUduirst  all  at  once  s))ranu-  into  fame,  and  when 
it  l>ccame  known  that  the  im])erial  laniily  attended 
ehureli  on  Sun(hiy  morninLrs,  the  early  trains  from 
(Miarinir  Cross  and  Cannon  Street  invariably  took 
down  varvinu  numbers  of  curious  and  interested 
|)eople,  of  all  classes  and  all  creeds,  Catholics 
perliaps  beini;-  in  the  minority.  Father  Goddard  did 
not  at  all  ajipreciate  this  incursion  of  sii^ht-seers.  It 
required  the  rxercise  of  not  a  little  diplomacy  to  gain 
admittance  to  the  church.  The  priest  was  a  very 
outspoken  man,  and  thoroughly  sincere  in  all  he  said 
and  did.  He  disliked  to  see  paragraphs  about  the 
church  in  the  newspapers,  and  there  was  conse- 
(juently  very  little  love  lost  between  him  and  the  un- 
fortunate reporters.  He  was  one  of  the  best-informed 
men  in  England  and  France  on  Bonapartist  happen- 
ing.s.  For  some  reason  or  other  he  did  not  seem  quite 
to  "  hit  it  oft'"  with  Archbishop  Manning,  who  had 
not  at  that  time  received  the  Cardinal's  hat.  Perhaps 
Father  Goddard  did  not  display  quite  as  much  defer- 
ence to  the  famous  prelate  as  the  latter  expected,  and 
exacted,  from  all  his  clergy.  The  appearance,  in 
after-years,  of  volume  upon  volume  from  the  pens  of 
French  authors  of  note,  rending  the  veil  which  had 
hitherto  concealed  the  skeletons  of  the  last  Empire, 
vexed  and  annoyed  the  worthy  priest. 

The  people  who  iiocked  to  Chislehurst  Sunday 
after  Sunday  were  actuated  by  natural  curiosity  to 
get  a  glimpse  of  the  dethroned  Emperor  and  Empress 
and    their   child-son   on  their   way  to  church.     The 


AT  HOME  IN  ENGLAND  17 

friendly  relations  which  had  existed  for  upwards  of  a 
quarter  of  a  century  between  Queen  Victoria  and  the 
imperialist  couple  counted  for  very  little,  if  indeed  for 
anything,  with  our  public  in  1871,  and  by  hundreds 
of  thousands  in  this  country  the  Emperor  was  still 
regarded  as  an  adventurer  who  had  waded  through 
blood  to  a  throne. 

But  the  Empress  !  Every  woman  in  the  land,  from 
the  Duchess  to  the  milliner's  errand-girl,  had  "  some- 
thing nice "  to  say  of  the  imperial  lady.  It  was 
enough,  and  more  than  enough,  that  she  had  "  set  the 
fashion  "  as  long  as  most  women  cared  to  remember. 
Even  the  outrageous  crinoline  was  sanctified  in  the 
eyes  of  the  British  matron  and  her  daughters  from 
the  moment  of  its  adoption  by  the  beautiful  arbitress 
of  fashion.  There  was  a  time  when  to  wear  the  hair 
a  t Imperatrice  was  a  sign  of  social  distinction.  And 
was  there  not  the  "Eugenie  lift"  (of  the  dress)  ? 
When  she  came  to  Chislehurst  she  was  only  forty- 
four,  and  still  lovely.  All  Englishwomen  had  a 
tender  word  for  her  and  for  the  Prince,  who  in  a 
couple  of  years  shot  up  into  a  young  man,  dignified, 
yet  the  reverse  of  stilF,  gaining  the  affectionate  friend- 
ship of  his  fellow- students  at  Woolwich,  and,  indeed, 
of  all  who  were  brought  into  contact  with  him.  In 
build  and  vivacity  he  resembled  the  late  King  Alfonso 
of  Spain. 

Those  who  visited  the  Empress  at  Chislehurst, 
shortly  after  her  arrival,  noticed,  to  their  surprise, 
that  she  looked  well  and  cheerful.  She  talked  very 
hopefully  of  France,  and  evidently  believed  that  the 
majority  of  the  French  people  still  regarded  Napo- 
leon III.  as  their  lawful  ruler. 

"  The  Empress,"  said  one  of  the  guests — a  lady — 


18  KMPKKSS  EUGENIE 

*' loves  KnuuH'  mori'  than  she  lovos  power,  and  an3'one 
who  will  aitl  in  savinu'  France  from  Prussia  she  looks 
upon  as  her  t'rii'ncl.  ' 

This   favoured    person    noted    that   on    the   day    of 
her   visit   Iler  Majesty's  dress  was  a  brown   walking 
costume.     The  pettieoat  was  of  l)rown  silk,  trimmed 
with  three  tiounces  of  velvet,  over  whieli  were  a  tunic 
and  jaeket  of  hrown  merino  of  the  finest  texture.  The 
tunic  was  trimmed  with  Hounces  of  silk  of  the  same 
shade  ;    the  jacket,  like  the  petticoat,  trimmed  with 
velvet.      It   was    a    "  simple  little  jacket,  fitting  her 
lovely  shoulders  most  perfectly  ;  slashed  at  the  sides 
and  hack,  and  trinuned  all   round  with  one  row  of 
velvet  ribbon,  an  inch  and  a  half  wide.     At  the  wrists 
were  deep  pointed  cults,  with  little  gold  buttons  ex- 
tendino;  from  the  bottom  of  the  sleeve  to  the  point  of 
the  cuti" ;  and  at  the  neck  a  small  velvet  collar.     The 
tunic  was  very  full,  and  looped  up  most  gracefully. 
Around  the  throat  she  wore  a  white  tie,  with  a  large 
bow  in  front.     Her  gloves  were  of  silk,  very  long  at 
the  wrists — the  shade  a  light  buff.     Her  sun-umbrella 
was    similarly    bufF-coloured,   lined    with  green  silk. 
Her  small  black  straw  hat  was  bound  round  the  rim 
with   black  silk — the  rim  narrow  and  drooping  ;  on 
the  left  side  was  a  large  bow.     The  veil  was  of  black 
thread  lace."     In  her  right  hand  the  Empress  carried 
a  substantial  brown  cane,  not  for  ornament,  but  for 
use.     She  wore  no  jewellery  of  any  kind.     The  ladies 
in  attendance  had   black  hats  similari  to  that  of  the 
Empress,  and  all  wore  silk  petticoats,  with  tunics  and 
jackets   of    some    other   material.      Some   of    them, 
imitating    their   imperial    mistress,   carried    walking- 
sticks  ;  others  used  their  umbrellas  as  canes.     The 
men  wore  dark  grey  trousers,  black  coats,  and  round- 


AT  HOME  IN  ENGLAND  19 

toed  boots.  The  Empress  walked  about  the  grounds, 
escorted  by  one  of  the  gentlemen,  and  the  other 
members  of  the  party  followed  in  couples. 

I  have  heard  it  said  that,  until  the  Emperor's  death, 
the  imperial  family's  expenditure  at  "  Camden  "  was 
at  the  rate  of  £12,000  a  year.  An  intimate  friend  of 
the  exiles  waxed  pathetic  on  their  faibles  ressources^ 
and  seemed  surprised  that  the  stables  contained  not 
more  than  three  or  four  carriage  horses,  two  serving 
as  the  mounts  of  the  Emperor  and  his  son.  The  same 
gentleman  had  observed,  too,  that  the  lodge- keeper 
was  a  woman.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  lodge  was 
kept  by  a  man — a  perfect  Cerberus — and  his  wife. 
The  imperial  finances,  so  far  as  they  are  known,  are 
detailed  in  a  later  chapter.  When  the  Empress  first 
inspected  Camden  Place,  she  told  the  owner,  who 
looked  more  French  than  English,  that  she  feared  it 
would  be  beyond  their  "  mediocre  resources."  They 
could  not,  she  said,  afford  to  pay  more  than  12,000 
francs  a  year  for  a  house. 

"Well,  your  Majesty,"  replied  Mr.  Strode,  a 
generous-minded  man,  anxious  that  the  illustrious 
exiles  should  be  suitably  housed,  "  I  am  only  asking 
£500  a  year  "  (12,500  francs).  And  at  that  rental  the 
furnished  mansion  passed  into  the  hands  of  the 
Sovereigns. 

When  the  amiable  landlord  married,  in  1872,  the 
Empress  offered  to  surrender  the  lease,  but  Mr. 
Strode  declined  Her  Majesty's  gracious  suggestion. 
The  story,  narrated  on  the  authority  of  Mme.  Octave 
Feuillet,  that  the  Empress  had  to  exercise  the  strictest 
economy  in  the  expenses  of  her  table,  lamp-oil  in- 
cluded (  !),  need  not  be  taken  too  seriously.  There  is 
reason,  however,  in  the  remarks  which  fell  from  the 

2—2 


20  EMrT^F.S:^;  FJTr;F.NTF 

lip.s  (tf  :iii  att;u'lu'il  I'lriicli  IriciKl  of  the  iiuii('ri;il  trio  : 
**  Afalii/r  tlu'  certainty  tliat  tlu'  resource's  ot"  tlie 
Knijicror  s  private  iloniaiii  wore  notoriously  suf+icient, 
anil  more  than  sufiicicnl,  to  pay  tlic  debts  oi"  the  civil 
li>t,  M.  Thiers  persisted  in  retaining:  under  seipicstra- 
tion  the  />/>//>•  prirrs  of  thi'  Kmpress,  oven  her  furni- 
ture. Thus  we  had  the  strange  and  deplorable 
spectacle  ol"  the  representatives  of  their  Majesties 
being  forced  to  i)resent  themselves  at  the  public 
auctions  which  took  place  at  the  Louvre,  for  the 
purpose  of  Iniying  })orcelain,  linen,  and  everything 
that  was  necessary  for  the  residence  at  Camden 
Place." 

What  a  mournful  New  Year's  o;atherinf!;  was  that 
at  Camden  Place  in  1871  !  The  Empress  held  a  levee, 
her  tirst,  and  assembled  around  her  between  tifty  and 
sixty  of  the  principal  French  families  then  residing  in 
England,  some  of  them  exiles,  like  herself  and  her 
son.  To  meet  them  there  were  the  Due  de  Persigny, 
the  Mar(|uis  de  Lavalette,  Baron  Jerome  David,  M.  de 
Bonville,  and  M.Rouher,  The  absent  one  at  Wilhelms- 
hohe  was  in  the  minds  of  all.  The  Empress  had 
thrown  oft"  the  depression  which  had  weighed  her 
down  after  the  failure  of  her  eftorts  to  obtain  an 
honourable  peace,  and  was  almost  cheerful.  The 
young  Hope  of  France  was  overwhelmed  with  con- 
gratulations upon  his  bravery  under  tire. 


CHAPTER  II 

FIRST  MONTHS  OF  EXILE 

From  the  earliest  days  of  her  arrival  in  England,  the 
Empress  devoted  herself  to  the  greatest  task  of  her 
life — the  eflPort  to  arrange  terras  of  peace.  It  was 
still  September,  the  month  of  Sedan.  The  Germans 
were  marchino;  on  Paris,  which  thev  o-irdled  on  the 
19th,  eleven  days  after  the  Empress  had  found  a 
refuge  at  Hastings  ;  Metz  and  Strasburg  were  be- 
sieged ;  Gambetta  Avas  organizing  the  army  of  national 
defence  ;  many  months  of  warfare  were  before  the 
combatants. 

Hastings  was  the  scene  of  an  episode  which,  trivial 
almost     farcical,    in     its     origin,    speedily    assumed 
dramatic  importance,  and  had  a  resultless  termination. 

In  the  second  week  of  September,  on  or  a1)out 
the  13th,  Mme.  Lebreton-Bourbaki  received  a  letter, 
signed  "  Regnier,"  of  whose  existence  she  had  been 
hitherto  unaware.  The  writer  simply  announced  that 
he  "  placed  himself  at  the  disposal  of  the  Empress." 
M.  Regnier  wrote  simultaneously  to  Count  Bernstorff', 
the  Prussian  Ambassador  to  our  Court,  asking  if  the 
King  would  not  prefer  to  discuss  terms  of  peace  with 
the  Imperial  Government  rather  than  with  the  chiefs 
of  the  Republic.  If  the  Ambassador  approved  of 
the  suggestion,  the  amateur  diplomatist  expressed  his 
readiness  to   start  forthwith  for    Wilhelmshohe,  and 

21 


rr(|urs((il  the  (\»unt  to  tuniisli  liini  with  :i  pass- 
)>ort. 

TIk'  iiK'iitilN  (it  tliis  aiulac'ious  intcrvciu'i'  l)CH'anu'  of 
(U'l'l*  interest  ti>  tlie  diploinntic  l)()(lv,  :ui(l  of  course  to 
I  lie  Kmpress  Kiiiieiiie.  Keiinier.  ulio  liad  studied  law 
and  medicine,  was,  it  appeared,  the  partner  oi  a 
l)Usiness  man  in  tliis  country,  and  desired  to  shine  in 
politics.  W'lu'ther  lie  was  inspired  by  })ure  patriotism, 
ov  hy  a  less  worthy  motive,  still  remains  an  enigma, 
without  any  prospect  of  absolute  solution. 

Mme.  Lebreton  informed  M.  Reonier  that  the 
Knijire-ss  had  no  reply  to  make  to  his  letter.  Kegnier, 
unalVected  by  this  rebuff,  wrote  again  to  Mme. 
Lebreton,  suggesting  that  the  Empress  should  protest 
against  the  election  of  a  "  Constituante."  He  followed 
this  uj)  by  a  third  letter,  hinting  that  it  would  be  well 
to  open  negotiations  with  Bismarck  direct.  To  this 
missive  the  Empress  replied,  through  Mme.  Lebreton, 
that  she  regarded  the  interests  of  France  rather  than 
those  of  the  dynasty,  and  would  not  interfere  with  the 
measures  which  were  being  taken  for  the  defence  of 
the  country.  Perhaps  the  French  view  is  right — that 
Count  Bernstorff  did  not  regard  Regnier's  acts  in  an 
unfavourable  light ;  and,  strange  as  it  may  now  seem, 
it  is  possible  that  Regnier  was,  to  a  certain  extent, 
justitied  in  boasting  that  he  could  obtain,  by  way  of 
the  Imperial  Government,  better  terms  than  could  be 
got  by  "the  soi-disant  Republican  Government."  Be 
this  as  it  may,  his  avowed  object  was  to  act  as  an 
intermediary  between  Bismarck  and  the  ex-Regent  at 
Hastings. 

In  his  "  Souvenirs  of  the  Emperor  William  I.," 
the  author  (Schneider),  who  had  been  His  Majesty's 
secretary,  remarks  that  "  Bazaine  would  not  recognize 


FIRST  MONTHS  OF  EXILE  23 

the  improvised  Republic.  He  detested  some  of  the 
generals  who  were  shut  up  in  Paris,  and  was  ready 
to  employ  his  army  for  the  re- establishment  of  the 
Empire,  if  he  were  allowed  to  get  out  of  Metz." 
Bazaine,  then,  was  evidently  a  man  for  the  invaders 
to  get  in  close  touch  with.  But  how  ?  By  a  sort 
of  miracle  Regnier  had  appeared.  Here,  then,  was 
a  negotiator  ready  to  hand.  Beyond  doubt,  Bismarck 
was  made  acquainted  with  that  adventurous  gentle- 
man's proposals,  and  made  up  his  mind  to  take 
advantage  of  the  extraordinary  opportunity.  Seeing, 
however,  that  the  Empress  would  have  nothing  to  do 
with  Regnier,  despite  Count  Bismarck's  l)acking, 
Bismarck  consented  to  see  M.  Jules  Favre. 

But  let  us  return  to  M.  Regnier.  The  16th  of 
September  saw  him  at  Hastings,  fuller  than  ever  of 
his  self-imposed  mission,  which,  had  it  been  suc- 
cessful, would  almost  certainly  have  preserved  the 
Bonapartist  dynasty.  Regnier,  having  failed  to  secure 
the  Empress's  co-operation,  had  recourse  to  a  little 
ruse.  He  addressed  himself  this  time,  not  to  Mme. 
Lebreton,  but  to  M.  Filon,  the  Prince  Imperial's 
tutor.  Filon  told  him  that  the  Empress  would  not 
associate  herself  with  any  intrigues.  Regnier  was  not 
abashed  ;  the  person  who  could  discomfit  him  had 
yet  to  be  found.  He  was  more  insistent  than  ever. 
He  intended,  he  said,  to  go  straight  to  Wilhelms- 
hohe  and  see  the  Emperor  personally  ;  the  Prussian 
Ambassador  had  authorized  him  to  do  so.  He  handed 
to  M.  Filon  a  photograph  of  Hastings,  and  asked  the 
Prince  Imperial  to  write  upon  it  a  word  for  his  father. 
The  youth  ultimately  scribbled  upon  the  picture, 
"  Mon  cher  papa,  je  vous  envoie  ces  vues  d'Hastings. 
J'espere  qu'elles  vous  plairont." 


•J4  KMPlJKss  EUGp.NTE 

Kt'irni<'»'  '■♦■:»*1  '"  >''*'  O^'-'^'rrrr  tliat  Jules  Favro  was 
:il)onr  to  have  :in  int(  r\  icw  with  Bisjiiarck.  The 
l*rt«ssi;m  Consul  in  London  vist'-'d  liis  ])nssport,  and 
on  St'ptt'niUrr  L'(>  lu'unicr  was  at  Fcrrii  res,  wIuto 
lie  found  Fa\iv  and  tiic  Chanrclioi-.  in  tli()S('  days 
tlu'  i«»urn('\  Ironi  London  to  Fcrritros  hristlcd  with 
ditiicultit's.  Hcunier,  howcvt'i*,  wiio  hatl  l)een  treated 
as  a  ueLcliiril^le  (juantity  by  the  Knipress,  sur- 
mounted all  obstacles,  a|)])arently,  with  ease.  The 
des|>i>cd  (d"  Hastings  was  welcomed  at  Ferrieres  by 
Hismarck  !  When  he  called  upon  the  Count,  he  was 
admitti'd  without  delay.  Bismarck,  who  had  learnt 
all  about  the  would-be  intermediary  from  Count 
Bernstortf".  would  not  allow  him  to  go  to  Wilhelms- 
hohe  ;  lu-  had  other  work  for  the  man  from  London. 
A  .second  time  Bismarck  and  Retj-nier  bad  a  leno-thv 
conversation,  and  the  upshot  of  it  all  was  that 
He«rnier  was  despatched  to  Metz  to  sound  Bazaine  ! 
Brimming  over  with  entliusiasm,  Regnier  boldly  de- 
clared to  Bismarck  that  he  Avould  go,  if  necessary,  to 
Strasburg  as  well  as  to  ^letz,  see  the  commandants  of 
both,  and  induce  them  to  capitulate  in  th'e  name  of 
the  Imperial  Government !  "  Act,"  said  Bismarck  to 
the  stranger  whom  he  had  only  known  a  couple  of 
days,  "  so  that  we  may  have  before  us  someone 
capable  of  treating  for  peace,  and  you  will  have  ren- 
dered your  country  a  great  service."  The  Count 
handed  Resrnier  a  safe-conduct,  si^rned  with  his  own 
hand,  and  thus  conceived  :  "  I  require  officers  com- 
mandintr  the  allied  forces  to  let  M.  Regnier  pass 
without  hindrance,  and  to  facilitate  his  journey  as 
much  as  possible."  80  Regnier  started  for  Metz, 
elated  beyond  measure,  and  promising  Bismarck  that 
not  only  would  he  see  Bazaine,  but  would  bring  from 


FIRST  MONTHS  OF  EXILE  25 

the  besieged  town  a  general  who  would  go  to  England 
and  would  come  to  an  understanding  with  the  Empress 
Eugenie  !  The  nise  intermediary  had  ascertained, 
before  leaving  London,  that  General  Bourbaki  (then 
at  Metz)  was  the  ))rother  of  Mme.  Lebreton,  and  he 
meant  to  turn  this  knowledge  to  full  account. 

It  has  been  asserted  that  Bismarck,  deceived  by  the 
course  of  events  after  Sedan,  dreading  the  levee  en 
masse^  fearing  the  long  continuance  of  hostilities,  and 
perhaps  the  final  intervention  of  the  neutral  Powers, 
had  recourse  to  the  basest  form  of  intrigue  in  order  to 
obtain  possession  of  Metz  by  seducing  its  commander- 
in-chief,  and  so  disposing  of  one  of  his  principal 
adversaries.  The  balance  of  evidence,  however,  shows 
that  Marshal  Bazaine  did  not  require  much  tempting, 
but  was  only  too  anxious  to  capitulate.  His  bitterest 
assailants  have  been  his  own  countrvmen.  His  own 
countrymen  adjudged  him  a  traitor,  deserving  of 
death.  The  Empress  had  been  his  warmest  admirer 
and  supporter,  but  even  she  repudiated  him  after  his 
flight  from  St.  Marguerite. 

While  Regnier  was  speeding  to  Metz,  Bismarck 
again  conferred  with  Jules  Favre,  and  made  great 
play  with  the  Hastings  photograph.  "  This,"  he  said, 
showing  the  picture  as  if  by  accident,  "  was  the  pass- 
port of  a  personage  who  yesterday  morning  entered 
upon  pourparlers  with  me."  Bismarck  omitted — 
perhaps  forgot — to  tell  M.  Favre  that  the  Empress 
had  censured  M.  Filon  for  allowing  the  Prince 
Imperial  to  scribble  a  few  words  upon  the  photo- 
graph, and  that  Her  Majesty  had  warned  the  Emperor 
that  she  had  in  no  way  authorized  Regnier  to  introduce 
himself  in  her  name.  Bismarck  admitted  to  Favre 
that  the  "  personage  "  in  question  had  requested  to  see 


2f.  KMPKESS  EUCENI?": 

the  MniptTttr.  "  who,"  .s;ii«l  tlic  Coiuit  suiivcly,  ''  is  not 
till'  jH'isoiuT,  luit  tlu'  i»:iK'st,  of    rrussiii." 

Jiist  :il)oul  this  tiim*  (St'iit('ml)er  "J'A)  llcrlxTt  Bis- 
marclx  liail  iiifornu'tl  liis  fatlicT  hy  letter  tliat  the 
I*nissi;ins  wtri'  siir|)risi'(l  at  tlie  nttenti«>iis  hivished 
iijM»ii  N:i]>oK'on  at  Willielinsliijlic,  aiul  the  (\)iint  had 
replied  :  *'  A  Napoleon  who  is  well  treated  is  useful  to 
us,  anil  that  is  all  that  matters.  Veng^eance  helongs 
to  (^od.  The  French  must  remain  uncertain  whether 
thr  Kniperor  will  be  given  up  to  them.  This  will 
iiicrea.se  their  dissensions." 

Heu:nier.  with  Bismarck's  recommendation  in  Ids 
]K)cket,  found  his  way  to  Prince  Frederick  Cliarles, 
who  had  him  conducted  to  the  French  outposts.  He 
was  soon  in  the  presence  of  Bazaine,  who  listened  to 
the  recital  of  the  business  upon  which  he  said  he  was 
engaged — that  of  concerting  with  tlie  Empress  (!)  to 
save  the  Army  of  Metz  and  to  obtain  favourable  terms 
of  peace  for  France.  Bazaine  confided  to  the  adven- 
turer his  willingness  to  capitulate  with  the  honours  of 
war,  excluding  the  town  of  Metz,  which  was  to  remain 
French  territory.  Regnier  went  back  to  Prince 
Frederick  Charles  and  reported  Bazaine's  proposal. 
The  "  Red  Prince  "  (whom  we  were  to  know  later  as 
the  father  of  the  Duchess  of  Connaught)  answered 
that  both  the  army  and  the  town  must  capitulate. 
Regnier  was  reconducted  into  Metz,  had  another  inter- 
view with  Bazaine,  and  requested  the  Marshal  to  send 
General  Bourbaki  to  England.  Bazaine  consented  that 
that  officer  should  visit  the  Empress,  who  had  only 
just  then  taken  up  her  residence  at  Chislehurst, 
Bazaine  issued  the  following  order  (which  a^jpears  in 
the  "  Papiers  Tachard  ")  : 

"  September  24,  1870. — Her  Majesty  the  Empress- 


FIRST  MONTHS  OF  EXILE  27 

Regent  having  expressed  a  desire  to  see  Divisional 
General  Bourbaki,  commanding  the  Imperial  Guard, 
that  officer  is  authorized  to  visit  her." 

Bazaine  seems  to  have  been  a  simple-minded 
individual.  He  took  for  granted  all  that  Regnier 
told  him,  and  apparently  did  not  hesitate  to  believe 
that  the  writing  on  the  Hastings  photograph  was  really 
the  Prince  Imperial's,  although  there  was  no  other 
evidence  except  the  intermediary's  bare  assertion, 
Bazaine  carried  his  indiscretion  to  extraordinary 
lengths,  for  he  confided  to  the  mysterious  Regnier, 
with  whom,  as  we  have  seen,  the  Empress  would  have 
nothing  to  do,  the  all-important  fact  (if  it  was  a  fact) 
that  the  provisions  of  the  besieged  force  would  suflftce 
only  until  October  18.  Thus  did  the  Marshal  give 
away  the  secret  of  the  defence,  well  knowing  that 
Regnier  would  pass  it  on  to  Bismarck. 

Bourbaki  was  equally  credulous.  His  sister  had 
accompanied  the  Empress  in  her  flight  from  the 
Tuileries,  and  at  the  moment  of  Regnier's  appearance 
at  Metz  was  with  the  imperial  lady  at  Hastings.  Why 
had  not  Mme.  Lebreton-Bourbaki  given  Regnier  a 
letter  of  introduction  to  her  brother  ?  Is  it  possible 
that  neither  Bazaine  nor  Bourbaki  suspected  that 
Regnier  was  "  put  up "  to  visit  them  by  the  arch- 
enemy of  France  ? 

Towards  the  end  of  September,  Bourbaki,  aided  by 
Regnier,  now  a  "  personage  "  indeed,  was  smuggled 
out  of  Metz  disguised  as  a  Luxemburg  doctor,  and, 
provided  with  every  facility,  proceeded  to  England. 
Regnier  simultaneous!}^  returned  to  Ferricres,  where 
he  handed  to  Bismarck  a  photograph  of  Bazaine  bear- 
ing the  Marshal's  signature,  and  on  behalf  of  Bazaine 
requested  Bismarck  to  formulate  "moderate"  terms 


28  KMIMIKSS  FJ'CPA'IE 

of  pi'acc.  liisMKirclx.  siirjiriscd  tli;it  Kfii'iiicr's  diilv 
autiiorifv  to  treat  IDr  a  coiiclnsion  of"  liostilitics  was 
ail  autouiapli  |)lioto^Ta|)li,  tt'k*!JTa]>li(Hl  to  tlio  Marslial 
askiiiu"  it  lu'iiiiii'i'  w:>s  rcallx  ('iU])ow('r('(l  to  iici^-otiatc 
ft»r  tlu"  >ni"r('ii(l«r  ol"  tlu'  Armv  of  Mel/.  lia/.aiiic 
rcplit'd.  tlirouuli  (it'iicral  von  Sticlilc,  that  lie  would 
I'apitulati',  witli  tin-  lionoiirs  of  wai*,  jtiovided  tliat 
Met/,  itself  was  allowed  to  remain  Frentdi.  The 
Marslial  further  otf'eretl  to  send  (Jeneral  Hover  to 
Prince  Frederick  Charles  with  full  explanations.  This 
proposal  was  so  far  satisfactory  to  Bismarck  that  he 
gave  poor  Regnier  his  conge  without  more  ado. 

In  due  course  —  about  September  28  —  General 
Bourbaki  reached  En<iland.  Needless  to  sav  that 
the  Empress  was  astounded  when  he  presented  him- 
self at  "  Camden."  She  asked  him  if  the  forces  at 
Metz  were  {prisoners,  and  how  he  had  contrived  to 
escape.  Bourbaki  was  dumbfounded.  He  told  the 
Empress  that  he  had  come  to  England  at  her  request, 
and  with  his  chief's  permission.  Her  Majesty  replied 
that  she  had  never  asked  to  see  him,  and  that  all  she 
had  to  say  was  that  neither  directly  nor  indirectly  had 
she  had  any  communication  with  Marshal  Bazaine. 
Bourbaki,  deeply  humiliated,  and  recognizing  that  he 
had  been  duped  by  Regnier's  plausible  assurances, 
described  the  terrible  condition  of  Lorraine  and  of 
France  aenerally,  but  so  distressed  w^as  the  Empress 
at  his  narrative  that  the  interview  came  to  an  abrupt 
end.  On  the  following  day  she  informed  Bourbaki 
that  she  would  not  treat  with  Prussia  ;  were  she  to 
do  so,  it  would  be  interfering  with  the  (lovernment  of 
the  National  Defence,  which  could  obtain  better  terms 
than  she  could  hope  to  get ;  for  she  knew  that 
M.  Thiers  was  at  that  moment  consulting  the  neutral 


FIRST  MONTHS  OF  EXILE  29 

Powers,  All  that  she  could  do  was  to  appeal  to  the 
Emperor  of  Austria,  to  whom  she  had  written  a 
second  time.* 

Bourbaki's  troubles  did  not  end  with  his  journey  to 
Chislehurst.  His  honour  had  been  cruelly  wounded 
by  Regnier's  trickery  ;  he  had  become  an  object  of 
ridicule  ;  it  only  remained  for  him  to  get  back  to 
Metz  as  quickly  as  possible  and  take  up  his  command. 
With  this  object  in  view,  he  addressed  himself  to 
Lord  Granville,  then  Minister  for  Foreign  AiFairs. 
Through  the  good  offices  of  the  head  of  the  Foreign 
Office  and  Count  BernstorfF,  the  General  was  author- 
ized to  return  to  Metz.  On  the  Luxemburg  frontier 
he  was  stopped  by  the  Prussian  outposts,  acting  upon 
the  order  of  Prince  Frederick  Charles,  who  apparently 
treated  with  contempt  Count  BernstorfF's  declaration 
to  Lord  Granville  (October  4,  1870)  ;  "  Prince 
Frederick  Charles  has  received  from  me  an  order  to 
permit,  and  to  assist.  General  Bourbaki  to  return  to 
his  post  at  Metz  to  fulfil  his  duty.  Regnier  gives  one 
the  impression  of  being  a  spy,  but  he  seems  to  have 
honestly  desired  to  serve  the  Empress  Eugenie  in 
sending  Bourbaki  to  her." 

Foiled  in  his  endeavour  to  return  to  Metz,  Bour- 
baki on  October  8  wrote  to  Gambetta,  reporting 
what  had  occurred  on  the  frontier,  and  how  Regnier 
had  made  him  believe  that  the  Empress  wished  to 
consult  him  personally  respecting  a  treaty,  containing 
conditions  honourable  to  France,  proposed  to  Her 
Majesty  by  Bismarck.  Bourbaki  explained  how,  at 
Chislehurst,  he  had  been  undeceived  by  the  Empress, 

*  The  letters  addressed  by  the  Empress  Eugenie  to  the  Emperor 
of  Austria,  the  Tsar  (Alexander  II.),  and  the  King  of  Prussia,  are 
printed  with  the  other  imperial  correspondence. 


30  KMIMIKSS   KrcJFAMK 

wlio  \vm\  lu'vcr  cxpivsscd  m  desire  to  see  liiin — :i  state- 
nu'iit  which  liad  "  struck  him  to  tlie  heart."  The 
(General  assured  (Janil>etta  that  he  was  ready  to  return 
t«t  liis  connuand  ;  if,  however,  that  was  impossible,  he 
jHit  liimself  t'orlliwitli  at  tlie  disposal  of  the  National 
Hefence.  As  the  Prussians  liad  broken  faith  witli 
iiim,  In)url)aki  was  tlieren])on  ^iven,  first,  the  com- 
mand of  the  Nortliern  Army,  and,  next,  that  of  the 
Eastern  Army — witli  disastrous  results  wiiich  need 
not  be  recapitulated. 

Bazaine,  in  the  early  part  of  October,  recommenced 
]>nurp(irU'rs  with  liismarck,  and  on  the  1  l^th  General 
Hoyer  left  Metz  for  Versailles,  accompanied  by  two 
Prussian  otiicers.  Boyer's  mission  was  fruitless,  and 
on  the  iStli  he  returned  to  Metz  and  made  his  report 
to  Bazaine  and  the  officers  composing  his  council. 
It  was  resolved  to  send  Bover  to  En2:land  for  the 
purpose  of  explaining  the  situation  to  the  Empress 
and  obtaining  her  opinion  and  advice.  The  General 
laid  Bazaine's  and  his  council's  views,  and  certain 
propositions  emanating  from  Bismarck,  before  the 
Empress,  who  had  visitors  at  Camden  Place  in  the 
persons  of  M.  Roulier  and  the  Due  de  Persigny. 
Boyer  was  empowered  to  ask  the  Empress  {inter  alia) 
if  she  would  wTite  a  letter  releasing  the  Army  of 
Metz  from  its  oath  of  fidelity  to  the  Em})eror,  and 
giving  it  full  liberty  of  action  ;  but  whether  that 
request  was  ever  actually  made  is  doubtful.  The 
proposals  submitted  by  General  Boyer  were  considered 
f<jr  two  days.  Rouher  and  De  Persigny  were  by  no 
means  averse  to  them  ;  but  the  Empress  saw  the  hand 
of  Bismarck  in  everything  which  was  placed  before 
her,  and  would  consent  to  nothing. 

The  Government  of  National  Defence  did  not  at  all 


FIRST  MONTHS  OF  EXILE  31 

appreciate  these  secret  interviews  o£  Bourbaki  and 
Boyer  with  the  Empress — a  fact  impressed  upon  her 
by  Prince  Metternich,  who  could,  and  did,  proffer 
advice  to  her  with  the  frankness  of  an  old  friend. 
Her  Majesty,  who  at  this  period  retained  much  of  that 
impulsiveness  which  had  characterized  her  from  her 
youth,  assured  the  Austrian  diplomatist  that  she  so 
fully  appreciated  the  patriotic  efforts  of  the  Republican 
Government  that  she  would  not  dream  of  attempting 
to  counteract  them  in  any  way  ;  she  only  desired  to 
do  everything  in  her  power  to  mitigate  the  situation 
which  would  be  caused  by  the  fatal  capitulation  of 
Metz — an  event  which  Boyer  had  assured  her  was 
only  a  question  of  hours.  "  You  cannot,"  said  Her 
Majesty,  "  doubt  my  patriotism  when  you  see  how  I 
am  effacing  myself  and  reserving  my  rights  until  the 
conclusion  of  peace.  I  want  to  save  the  last  army  we 
have,  even  at  the  price  of  all  my  hopes." 

It  had  been  rather  wildly  suggested  that  the 
Empress  should  journey  to  besieged  Metz,  and  take 
her  son  with  her.  This  proposal  she  very  wisely 
declined  to  accept,  knowing  that  her  presence  amidst 
the  former  imperial  army  would  necessarily  have  a 
bad  effect.  The  Empress  begged  Lord  Granville  to 
inform  the  authorities  at  Tours  that  on  no  account 
would  she  abuse  the  hospitality  offered  her  by 
England  by  taking  part  in  what  would  have  the 
appearance  of  an  intrigue  ;  and  that  communica- 
tion was  transmitted  by  the  Foreign  Minister  to 
the  Government  of  the  Republic  through  M.  de 
Chaudordy. 

After  her  interviews  with  General  Boyer  the 
Empress  took  a  very  bold  step.  On  October  22  she 
wrote,  with  her  own  hand,  to  Bismarck,  requesting  an 


32  r.MPni:ss  KrcpA'iE 

annistict'  for  ;i  lOrtiiiulit.  with  jicnnission  lo  rcvictiial 
the  font's  at  Mot/..  "  I  am  prepared,  '  slu'  wrote,  ''  to 
irive  Marshal  Ha/aiiie  plenarv  powers,  and  to  nominate 
lum  Lieutenant  -  (reneral  of  tlie  Kmi)ire.  If  yon 
consent,  it  is  all-important  tliat  yon  slionld  send  word 
to  the  Marsiial  immediately,  and  let  him  procure 
provisions.  1  await  your  answer  before  sendins; 
(ireneral  liover  with  my  instructions." 

Bismarck's  reply  soon  reached  Chislehurst.  lie 
pointed  out  that  an  armistice  was  impossible : 
••  Marshal  '»a/aine  has  not  adhered  to  our  conditions, 
and  we  shall  be  com]ielled  to  effect  by  force  of  arms, 
and  jirobably  against  the  Army  of  Metz,  the  perform- 
ance t)f  the  treaty.  The  King  will  not  treat  except 
upon  the  conditions  which  I  have  made  known  to 
(xoneral  Bover.  none  of  which  have  been  fulfilled." 
Bismarck  had  hoped  that  the  Army  of  Metz  would 
have  officially  adhered  to  the  Government  of  the 
Emjjress-Regent,  and  would  have  accepted  a  treaty 
which  included  the  cession  of  Alsace  and  a  portion  of 
Lorraine,  leaving  the  conquerors  a  free  hand  to 
im])ose  other  conditions. 

Tpon  learning  that  the  Empress  had  refused  to 
comply  with  the  demands  of  Prussia,  Bismarck  tele- 
graphed to  Bazaine  as  follows  (October  24)  : 

''  1  have  to  point  out  to  you  that,  since  my  inter- 
view with  General  Boyer,  none  of  the  guarantees 
which  I  informed  him  were  indispensable  before 
entering  into  negotiations  with  the  Imperial  Regent 
have  been  fulfilled  ;  and  that,  as  the  future  of  the 
Emperor's  cause  is  in  no  way  assured  by  the  attitude 
of  the  nation  and  the  French  armies,  it  is  impossible 
for  the  King  to  engage  in  negotiations  the  results  of 
which  His  Majesty  would  have  to  get  accepted  by  the 
French  nation.     The  proposals  which  reach  us  from 


FIRST  MONTHS  OF  EXILE  33 

London  are,  in  view  of  the  actual  situation,  absolutely 
unacceptable  ;  and  I  have  to  state,  with  deep  regret, 
that  I  no  longer  see  any  chance  of  arriving  at  a  result 
by  political  negotiations." 

General  Boyer,  on  his  return  from  Chislehurst,  had 
been  informed  by  Bismarck  that  the  Prussian  Govern- 
ment had  demanded  the  cession  of  Metz,  and  the 
signing  by  all  Bazaine's  principal  officers  of  a  docu- 
ment recognizing  the  Regency  and  undertaking  to 
re-establish  it.  Bazaine  had  not  dared  to  reveal  those 
conditions  to  his  officers,  especially  after  Bismarck 
had  informed  him  of  the  decisions  of  the  Empress. 

The  curtain  now  rose  on  the  last  act  of  the  tragedy 
of  Metz.  Bazaine  signed  the  capitulation,  and  was 
escorted  to  Germany.  At  daybreak  on  October  29, 
while  torrents  of  rain  fell  and  the  wind  blew  great 
guns,  he  scurried  out  of  Metz  incognito,  having 
refused  the  honours  of  war  for  his  brave  troops  and 
delivered  the  flags  into  the  hands  of  an  enemy  which 
had  not  captured  a  single  standard  on  the  battle-field. 
His  words  of  farewell  to  France  were  :  "  This  busi- 
ness [the  capitulation]  will  have  at  least  its  good 
side.  It  will  cause  Paris  to  cease  its  resistance,  and 
it  will  restore  peace  to  our  unhappy  country."  Un- 
fortunately, the  fall  of  Metz  had  no  such  effect 
Paris  continued  its  resistance  more  determinedly  than 
ever,  and  peace  was  not  signed  until  nearly  four 
months  later. 

And  what,  it  will  doubtless  be  asked,  became  of 
Regnier  ?  Thrown  over  by  Bismarck,  he  returned 
to  London.  He  was  arraigned,  tried  for  treason 
(in  his  absence),  and  sentenced  to  death  for  treason- 
able conduct.  Immediately  after  the  sentence  Bismarck 
wrote  to  him  from  Varzin  as  follows  (October  2, 1874) : 

3 


:M  KMIMM^SS  EUGENIE 

''  In  view  of  \\iv  sniti'iuc  wliicli  :i  KrcMcli  coiincil 
t>f  war  lias  just  ijronoiimcd  upon  von,  voii  have  asked 
nu"  to  ivprat  w  liat  I  ^ai(l  to  you  at  our  last  interview 
ri'SpiTtinu:  niv  ojiiiiidii  (»f  your  conduct.  I  do  not 
lu'lieve  tliat  my  totiniony  can  l)e  as  useful  to  you  as 
you  liope  it  will  he.  People  are  still  overexcited,  and 
the  majority  of  your  coin])atriots,  who  misrepresent 
me  and  unjustly  helieve  me  to  he  the  enemy  of 
France,  will  re}>roach  you  for  what  I  may  say  in  your 
favour.  Nevertheless,  I  do  not  hesitate  to  rej)eat  to 
you  that  your  conduct  has  never  appeared  to  me  to 
he  inspired  hy  any  other  motive  than  coura2;eous 
devotion  to  the  interests  of  the  country,  which,  in 
vour  o])inion,  were  identical  witli  the  interests  of  the 
imjterial  dynasty.  I  favoured  the  execution  of  your 
])lans  in  the  helief  that  their  realization  would  accelerate 
the  conclusion  of  ])eace  by  placing  the  Imperial 
Government — the  only  one  which  we  then  recognized 
— in  relations  with  the  Army  of  Metz,  which  seemed 
to  remain  faithful  to  it.  Once  these  relations  had 
been  established  and  consolidated,  we  should  have 
found  ourselves  in  presence  of  a  Government  sufii- 
cientlv  strono;  for  us  to  have  neo:otiated  and  concluded 
peace  in  the  name  of  France.  I  can  state  up(jn  my 
honour  that  you  never  received  or  requested  any 
advantao;e,  and  that  in  allowino;  vou  to  enter  Metz 
I  believed  I  was  facilitating  your  performance  of  a 
patriotic  act,  and  one  calculated  to  bring  about  the 
conclusion  of  peace." 

Regnier  is  said  to  have  died  at  Ramsgate  in  1888. 

Ill-success  attended  the  Empress's  laudable  efforts 
all  along  the  line.  Five  days  I)efore  Bazaiiie  signed 
the  ca])itulation  of  Metz  Her  Majesty  had  an  interview 
with  Count  Bemstortt"  (October  21^)).  The  Prussian 
Ambassador  was  well  aware  what  she  would  say,  and 
how  ])rofitless  any  discussion  of  the  terms  of  peace 
would  be.     He  knew  that  the  cession  of  Alsace  and 


FIRST  MONTHS  OF  EXILE  35 

most  of  Lorraine  was  a  sine  ([ud  7io7i,  plus  a  heavy 
indemnity.  The  interview,  then,  was  foredoomed 
to  faihire.  It  is  to  her  credit  that,  at  this  supreme 
juncture,  the  Empress  did  not  preoccupy  herself  with 
the  question  of  the  restoration  of  the  Empire. 

Napoleon  III.,  "  Prussia's  guest  "  at  Wilhelmshohe, 
was  kept  au  courant  of  all  that  occurred  at  Ferrieres, 
at  Versailles,  at  Chislehurst,  and  in  London.  He 
gave  advice  from  time  to  time,  and  several  French 
politicians  did  likewise,  not  always  concurring  in  the 
Emperor's  views.  M.  Clement  Duvernois  and  some 
others  considered  that  the  Empress  exaggerated  the 
dishonour  which  would  result  from  any  cession  of 
territory,  and  agreed  with  Count  Bernstorfl  that  she 
would  have  done  well  to  have  resigned  herself  to  the 
inevitable.  But  she  was  deaf  to  all  such  counsels. 
"  No,"  she  said,  "  I  should  prefer  to  pass  the  rest  of 
my  life  with  my  son  in  exile.  I  would,  however, 
consent  to  renounce  all  the  rights  of  the  imperial 
family,  and  to  its  banishment  from  France  for  an 
indefinite  period,  if  I  could  bring  matters  to  a  happy 
issue." 

To  the  faithful,  but  not  necessarily  judicious,  few 
who  surrounded  her  at  "  Camden,"  and  who  sometimes 
gave  her  absurd  advice,  the  Empress  said :  "  The 
question  of  the  future  form  of  government  in  France 
must  be  relegated  to  the  background.  The  essential 
point  is  the  independence  of  the  country.  I  will  take 
no  step  which  might  be  considered  likely  to  result  in 
dividing  or  weakening  the  forces  of  France  in  front 
of  the  enemy." 

She  wrote  a  pitiful  letter  to  that  enemy — to  the 
monarch  who  had  been  her  guest  at  the  Tuileries 
three  years  before : 

3—2 


t>*l 


EMlM^iESS  EUOT^NTK 


"I  ajutial  lu  tlu'  Kiiiii's  licart,  to  tlic  soldier's 
generosity.  I  l)esei'cli  your  Majesty  to  renanl  my 
rei|uest  favourably.  Its  success  is  tlie  one  indisjx'u- 
sal)le  condition  for  secnriui;-  a  contiiniance  of  the 
neijjotiations. 

"  Eugenie." 

Kin*,^  William  replied  from  Versailles  on  October  26. 
After  referrinii',  ''not  without  reiiret,"  to  the  past, 
and  remarkiui;-  that  I'russia  had  not  desired  war,  His 
Majesty  continued  : 

"  When,  at  Ferrieres,  negotiations  appeared  to  be 
])roceeding  in  your  ^lajesty's  name,  they  were 
cordially  received,  and  all  facilities  were  given  to 
Marshal  Bazaine  in  order  to  put  him  in  commvmica- 
tion  with  your  Majesty  ;  and  when  the  General 
[Bover]  came  here  it  was  possible  to  arrive  at  an 
arrangement  if  the  conditions  precedent  had  been 
fulfilled  without  delay.  But  time  has  run  on  without 
the  indis])ensable  guarantees  for  entering  upon  nego- 
tiations being  given. 

I  love  my  country  as  you  love  yours,  and  conse- 
(juently  I  understand  the  bitternesses  which  fill  your 
Majesty's  heart,  and  my  compassion  for  them  is  very 
sincere.  But,  after  having  made  immense  sacrifices 
for  the  defence  of  Germany,  it  is  certain  that  the 
next  war  will  find  us  better  prepared  to  repel  that 
aggression  upon  which  we  reckon  immediately  France 
has  strengthened  her  forces  or  secured  allies.  It  is 
this  melancholy  consideration  only,  and  not  the  desire 
to  increase  the  extent  of  my  country,  which  is  quite 
large  enough,  that  compels  me  to  insist  upon  the 
cessions  of  territory,  which  have  no  other  object 
than  that  of  setting-back  the  point  de  depart  of  the 
French  armies  which  will  come  to  attack  us  in  the 
future. 

I  cannot  judge  whether  your  Majesty  was 
authorized  to  accept,  in  the  name  of  France,  the 
conditions  which  Germany   demands  ;  but  I    believe 


FIRST  MONTHS  OF  EXILE  37 

that  by  accepting  them  your  Majesty  would  have 
spared  your  country  many  ills,  and  would  have  pre- 
served it  from  the  anarchy  which  to-day  threatens 
a  nation  whose  prosperity  the  Emperor  had  developed 
for  twenty  years." 

This  letter  came  as  a  great  shock  to  the  Empress, 
who  may  well  have  thought  that  she  could  never 
endure  more  intense  suffering.  She  had  yet,  however, 
to  realize  the  deepest  depth  of  human  affliction. 

That  bellicose  Bonapartist  journalist,  M.  Paul  de 
Cassagnac,  whom  I  remember  as  a  prominent  figure 
at  the  Emperor's  funeral,  narrated  this  interesting 
incident : 

"  On  the  day  of  my  first  visit  to  Chislehurst,  I  was 
talking  to  the  Empress  and  the  Prince  Imperial,  when 
the  strains  of  military  music  were  heard  outside. 
The  soldiers  of  the  garrison  of  Woolwich  had  ex- 
tended their  military  promenade  as  far  as  the  imperial 
residence.  The  Empress  put  on  her  bonnet  rapidly, 
and  said  to  me,  '  Come  along,  and  I  will  show  you  a 
little  of  the  English  uniform.'  We  followed  her  into 
the  park,  where  a  small  force  of  infantry,  cavalry, 
and  artillery,  had  halted.  A  crowd  of  people  soon 
gathered.  The  Empress  was  received  with  marks 
of  respect.  The  men  took  oflT  their  hats,  the  women 
bowed,  and  the  children  ranged  themselves  in  rows. 
In  the  midst  of  tliis  general  homage  it  was  really 
comic  to  recognize  by  their  impressed  mien  the  two 
or  three  French  spies  that  the  police  of  the  Republic 
latterly  kept  on  duty  round  Camden  Place.  Then 
the  march-past  began,  and  the  oflficers  saluted  the 
Empress  ;  while  the  Prince,  in  his  cadet  uniform,  and 
mounted  on  a  superb  horse,  passed  rapidly  on  the 
flank  of  the  troops,  accompanied  by  his  young  school 
comrades.  Never  in  France,  in  the  greatest  period 
of  the  imperial  splendour,  was  a  review  held  in  the 
Carrousel  with  more  honour  than  this  review  in  the 


3S  KMPKKSS  ElKifiNIK 

Iniul  ot"  I'xilc.  I'liis  ri'cc'j>tion  i;ivi'ii  l)v  Kiii;l;m(l  to 
ilio  im|H'ri;iI  tamily  is  ilu"  most  remarkahlo  incident 
o(  i,T:nul  Miul  toucliiiiu-  lios])it:ilitv  tlint  liistory  aft'ords. 
I  slioiiKl  have  tliounlit  it  exai^gerated  had  1  not  seen 
it  myself.  1  liave  often  asked  myself  the  real  mean- 
inu:  of  it,  and  I  can  explain  it  in  oidy  one  reasonahle 
way.  The  Knp;lish  are  a  people  eminently  ])ractieal, 
whosi'  common-sense  is  ])roverl)ial,  and  who,  in  the 
life  of  a  nation  as  in  the  life  of  a  man,  view  things 
from  a  serions  j)oint  only.  With  them  tlie  imperial 
family  represents  France,  great  and  powerful  during 
twenty  years — tlie  France  which,  while  she  was  their 
allv,  gave  them  the  half  of  their  natural  supremacy 
in  tlie  affairs  of  Europe.  And  when  the  imperial 
family  ])asses  in  the  midst  of  them,  they  salute  it  as 
the   France  they  regret,  and  such  as  they  hope  to  see 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  EMPEROR'S  LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHURST 

Napoleon  III.  had  been  in  England  less  than  a  week 
when  the  Prince  of  Wales  visited  him,  and  conveyed 
the  pleasing  intimation  that  the  Queen,  then  at 
Windsor,  would  be  glad  to  see  the  Emperor.  Three 
days  later  Napoleon  (escorted  from  Chislehurst  by 
Colonel  Du  Plat,  Her  Majesty's  Equerry-in- Waiting, 
accompanied  by  Prince  Joachim  Murat,  and  attended 
by  a  small  suite)  visited  the  Queen.  The  date  was 
March  28,  1871. 

Thousands  of  people  lined  the  streets  at  Windsor  ; 
at  the  station  all  the  influential  inhabitants  awaited  the 
coming  of  the  monarch  whose  name  had  been  on 
all  lips  since  the  day  of  Sedan.  The  Emperor  was 
received  by  his  neighbour.  Lord  Sydney  (tlien  Lord 
Chamberlain)  ;  Mme.  la  Marechale  Canrobert,  with 
whom  were  her  two  children,  Marcel  and  Clare, 
remained  in  the  waiting-room.  M.  Marcel  was  in 
Highland  costume,  and,  with  becoming  pride,  carried 
a  large  bouquet.  The  Emperor  alighted  from  the 
train  amidst  great  cheering  and  cries  of  "  Vive 
I'Empereur !"  This  hearty  greeting  evidently  gratified 
him,  for  "  he  smiled  pleasantly  and  bowed."  A  resi- 
dent at  Windsor  (Mrs.  Macdonald)  advanced,  with  on 
either  side  the  Canroberts  ;  and  M.  Marcel,  with  nuicli 
dignity  and  a  low  bow,  presented  the  flowers  to  his 

39 


40  1:MPRK88  EUGENIE 

i::allant  fatlu'r's  iliii-f.  Tliis  l)()U(|U(.'l  was  a  ratlit'r 
amusinu:  lutvcltv  to  tlir  l^nipcror,  wlio  u;ra('oi'iilly 
tliaiiked  tlie  donor  "  for  liis  kindness."  The  (.,)ueen's 
private  suite  of  \vaitini;-roonis  were  ])laced  at  tlie 
disposal  of  tlu'  Kinperor,  wlio,  to  use  the  familiar 
ciic/n\  "received  an  ovation  all  along  the  line  of 
route."  The  aui^ust  visitor  remained  with  the  Queen 
for  a  full  half-hour,  and  was  "seen  off"  by  Lord 
Sytlney  and  the  Karl  of  Mountcharles.  There  were 
great  scenes  at  his  departure.  Colonel  Du  Plat 
accompanied  Napoleon  back  to  Camden  Place.  The 
Court  Circular  stated  that  the  Emperor  was  received 
bv  the  Queen  and  the  Royal  Family,  attended  by  the 
ladies  and  gentlemen  in  waiting,  at  the  entrance-hall, 
and  that  Prince  and  Princess  Christian  had  come  from 
Frogmore  "  to  pay  their  respects  to  His  Majesty  at 
the  Castle." 

Queen  Victoria's  first  visit  to  the  Emperor  (she  had 
been  to  Chislehurst  four  months  previously,  accom- 
})anied  by  Princess  Beatrice,  to  condole  with  the 
Empress)  was  paid  on  April  3.  Prince  Leopold 
was  with  his  mother,  to  whom  the  Emperor  fully 
ex})lained  how  the  disaster  at  Sedan  had  been  brought 
about.* 

Early  in  the  year  the  Empress,  and  later  the 
Emperor,  invited  that  well-known  officer  who  is  now 
General  Sir  Henry  Brackenbury  to  visit  Camden 
Place.  "  The  Empress  talked  to  me,"  says  Sir  Henry, "j* 
"  of  the  time  when  the  news  of  the  tragedy  of  Sedan 
had  arrived,  of  Trocliu  and  of  the  promises  he  had 
made,  and  of  the  Paris  mob.  '  I  am  onlv  a  woman,' 
she  said,  '  and  1  had  the  fate  of  Marie  Antoinette  in 

*  Vide  the  Emperor's  own  detailed  narrative  of  the  disaster. 
t  Blacktjoood's  Magazine,  February,  1909. 


H.I.M.    TllK   EMPRESS    EU<iE.\IE     THE    EMPEROR   NAPOLEON    HI.,    AND 
THE     PRINCE    IMPERIAL 


At  Camdi-Mj  Place,  Cliislcliurst,  1871. 


Tdf'Kr  p.  40. 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHUEST  41 

mind.'  She  was  much  moved,  and  I  not  less  so.  Of 
the  Emperor,  who  was  still  a  prisoner  of  war  at 
Wilhelmshohe,  she  said :  '  History  will  yet  give  him 
the  credit  of  having  maintained  order  in  France  for 
twenty  years.'  " 

When  he  next  visited  Chislehurst,  General  Bracken- 
bury,  upon  being  ushered  into  the  Emperor's  room, 
found  His  Majesty  playing  patience.  "  The  Emperor 
commenced  by  speaking  of  Sedan,  and  we  discussed 
the  strategy  of  MacMahon's  march  in  as  quiet  a 
manner  as  though  it  had  only  been  a  Kriegsspiel,  and 
not  a  move  in  which  his  own  destinies  had  hung. 
When  my  interview  was  over,  as  I  bowed  myself  out 
of  the  door,  I  saw  him  take  up  the  cards  again." 

The  exiled  Emperor  "  reviewing "  the  Woolwich 
cadets  on  Chislehurst  Common  was  an  event  witnessed 
by  a  comparatively  small  number  of  spectators  later 
in  the  year. 

The  Emperor  had  not  been  in  England  more  than 
about  a  month  when  it  was  reported  that  he  was  suffer- 
ing so  severely  from  rheumatism  that  he  could  not 
answer  the  numerous  letters  of  sympathy  which  every 
post  took  to  Camden  Place.  Very  soon,  however,  the 
pains  disappeared,  and  His  Majesty  was  well  enough 
to  drive  over  to  Woolwich  Arsenal,  accompanied  by 
his  son,  and  together  they  examined  the  various  works, 
the  Moncrieff  gun-carriage,  and  other  inventions. 

In  July  the  Emperor  and  Empress  visited  Prince 
and  Princess  Christian  at  Frogmore,  and  once  more 
they  met  the  Queen,  who  drove  over  from  the  Castle 
to  greet  them.  Like  her  sister.  Princess  Henry  of 
Battenberg,  Princess  Christian  has  remained  one  of 
the  most  attached  and  valued  friends  of  the  Empress. 

A  week  before  the  Frogmore  meeting  the  Queen 


12  EM1M{KSS  EUriENIE 

li:i(l  iH'vii'WtMl  thr  troojis  ;it  Pmsliov  Park.  Ani()na:st 
tlu'  (cms  ol'  t IkuinmihIs  oI"  s|K'ctnt()rs,  t lie  in'cscticc  of 
till'  rriiicc  Imjxri.il — well  inouiitcd — minlit  liavo 
passi'il  iiniu)tire(l.  Ihr  Majesty,  liowever,  learnt  tliat 
ho  was  sonu'wIuTi'  in  (lie  crowd,  and  sent  a  inessai!;e 
to  the  ciVect  tliat  she  would  like  to  see  him.  The 
Prince  soon  made  his  ai)])earjince,  all  smiles  and 
animation  :is  usual,  and  lemained  chatting  to  the 
Sovereiuii  and  l*i'ineess  IJeatriee  for  some  time. 
Drawinu-rooin  and  club  gossips  forthwith  began  the 
agreeable  task  of  making  mountains  out  of  this 
I)ushey  Park  molehill,  and  very  soon  at  every  "  five 
o'clock  "  and  everv  dinner- tiible  the  enii:a2^ement  of 
the  Bona]>artist  Prince  and  tlie  Queen's  youngest 
daughter  was  spoken  of  as  an  accomplished  fact, 
nnich  to  the  annoyance  of  Her  Majesty,  whose 
''  views  "  for  the  Princess  were  in  complete  disaccord 
with  poi)ular  rumour. 

The  great  fete-day  of  the  Bonapartists,  August  15, 
which,  until  the  war-year,  had  always  been  observed 
in  France  with  much  magnificent  display,  was  cele- 
brated for  the  first  time  at  Chislehurst  in  1871.  By 
an  amiable  fiction  it  was  spoken  of  as  the  "  birthday  " 
of  Napoleon  III.,  who  was,  however,  as  we  know, 
born  on  April  20,  1808.  (His  centenary  passed  un- 
noticed.) This  Festival  of  the  Assumption  was  an 
event  in  the  lives  of  the  exiles.  Camden  Place  was 
full  of  relatives,  friends,  and  persons  who  had  been 
attached  to  the  Imj)erial  Court  in  various  capacities. 
At  eleven  o'clock  High  Mass  was  celebrated  at  8t. 
Mary's  Church,  in  the  presence  of  the  Emperor,  the 
Empress,  the  Prince  Imperial,  and  many  distinguished 
people,  with  whose  names,  at  least,  all  were  more  or 
less  familiar.     There  was  an  avalanche  of  letters  and 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHURST  43 

flowers  from  France.  A  huge  bouquet,  accompanied 
by  a  handsome  album  and  an  address  containing 
hundreds  of  signatures,  came  from  Paris  merchants, 
traders,  and  workmen.  The  officers  of  what  had 
been  the  Garde  Imperiale  sent  a  large  bouquet.  A 
number  of  English  people,  some  (good  -  natured 
creatures  !)  quite  unknown  to  the  Imperial  Family, 
made  their  way  to  "  Camden  "  laden  with  flowers  for 
the  exiles,  who  were  surprised  and  gratified  at  these 
unexpected  attentions. 

At  the  end  of  August,  1871,  the  Great  Eastern — at 
that  time  the  biggest  example  of  British  shipbuilding 
which  had  been  produced  in  our  yards — was  visited 
by  the  Emperor,  the  Elmpress,  the  Prince  Imperial, 
and  Prince  Charles  Bonaparte,  as  well  as  by  many 
distinguished  foreigners,  chiefly  French.  Mr.  Scott- 
Russell,  the  designer  of  the  leviathan,  explained  in 
detail  the  peculiarities  of  the  vessel.  The  name  of 
the  steamer  which  conveyed  the  imperial  party  to  and 
from  the  monster  ship  amused  the  thousands  of 
spectators  ;  it  was  The  Lady  of  Lyons ^  so  christened, 
it  may  be  safely  assumed,  after  the  title  of  the 
play  which  has  probably  evoked  as  many  tears  as 
"  Hamlet,"  despite  the  contempt  with  which  Bulwer 
Lytton's  sentimental  work  has  been,  and  is,  regarded 
by  the  superior  critic.  The  visit  to  the  Great  Easterri 
was  a  triumph  for  the  exiles,  whose  greeting  was 
even  more  enthusiastic  than  that  which  had  charac- 
terized the  Dover  demonstration  some  five  months 
previously.  The  Prince  Imperial  was  the  "  pet "  of  the 
occasion,  the  darling  of  the  ladies,  the  admiration  of 
the  girls,  and  the  greatlj^-envied  of  the  boys.  "  He 
made  friends  with  all  around  him,  like  any  English 
schoolboy." 


It  EMPRESS  EUGENIE 

.lust  ;i  UHuitli  ln'ton*,  Emperor,  EmpiTss,  and  Prince 
— till'  1)<>\  had  aln-adv  hcconu'  a  |)o|»iilar  idol — had 
made  a  t'ricmlly  (.'all  on  tlic  thon  most  |)opnlar  ot'  all 
EiiirlishwonuMi,  who  had  known  >iapoh'on  when  he 
came  amongst  us  as  a  refugee  for  the  first  time.  The 
Baroness  Burdett-Coutts  received  her  guests  at  Holly 
Lodge.  The  imperial  })arty  took  a  long  drive  in  and 
around  llighgate,  stop])ing  for  awhile  at  the  cricket- 
Held  of  Cholmondeley  .School,  where  the  Archhishop 
of  Canterbury  received  them.  Then  the  inevitable 
hapi)ened,  for  Dr.  Dyne  could  not  refuse  the  Emperor's 
smiling  re({uest  for  a  half-holiday.  The  Cholmondeley 
boys  had  many  "good  looks"  at  the  imperial  youth, 
who  had  not  only  been  in  a  battle,  but  (so  the  story 
ran)  had  picked  up  a  spent  bullet,  cut  his  initials  on 
it  with  his  sword,  and  given  it  to  one  of  his  friends 
on  the  spot.*  "  Plucky  chap  !"  was  the  adnnring 
comment.  The  schoolboys'  frantic  hurrahs  were 
taken  up  hy  "  all  Highgate  "  as  the  imperial  carriage 
drove  off. 

September  11,  1871,  is  one  of  many  dates  to  be 
rememl)ered,  for  on  that  day  the  Empress  left 
Southampton  in  the  Oneida  for  Lisbon,  on  her  w^ay  to 
Madrid,  to  visit  her  mother,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
about  eight3'-five  eight  years  later,  some  six  months 
after  the  tragedy  on  the  Blood  River.  On  the  same 
day  the  Emperor,  taking  his  son  with  him,  and 
travelling  as  the  Comte  de  Pierrefonds,  started  for  a 
week's  relaxation  at  Torquay.  Sir  Lawrence  Palk,M.P., 
afterwards  created  Lord  Haldon,  received  the  august 
visitor  at  the  railway-station,  and  the  Emperor  planted 

*  In  the  engagement  at  Saarbriicken  (August  2,  1870)  the  Prince 
rode  "  Kaled,"  an  Arab,  brought  by  the  Emperor  from  Algeria  five 
years  previously. 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHURST  45 

in  Sir  Lawrence's  garden  a  young  shoot  of  weeping 
w^illow,  brouglit  from  Longwood  and  presented  to  the 
Prince  Imperial  by  an  English  officer.  Prince  Joachim 
Murat,  Comte  Clary,  Comte  Davilliers,  Dr.  Baron 
Corvisart,  and  one  or  two  other  gentlemen  were  of 
the  party.  At  many  stages  of  the  journey  to  and 
from  Torquay  the  Emperor  w^as  very  cordially  re- 
ceived ;  and  at  Bath  2,000  people  gathered  at  the 
railway-station  and  cheered  Napoleon  III.  and  the 
young  Prince,  who  by  this  time  was  becoming  a 
much-discussed  personage,  partly,  doubtless,  owing  to 
the  "  baptism  of  fire "  incident.  While  he  was  at 
Torquay  the  Emperor  "  picked  up  "  wonderfully.  He 
was  out  every  morning  at  eight  o'clock,  and  strolled 
about  with  Prince  Murat  until  eleven,  w^hen  he  was 
capable  of  doing  full  justice  to  lunch.  At  seven 
o'clock  a  plain  English  dinner  was  served,  and,  as  the 
culinary  tyrant  Alexandre  remained  at  Chislehurst, 
the  Emperor  revelled  in  partridges  with  sweet 
cabbage.  The  Prince  Imperial,  Comte  Clary,  and 
young  Conneau  explored  the  neighbourhood  on  foot. 
The  Emperor  was  neither  mobbed  nor  unduly  stared 
at  "  How  well  and  happy  the  Emperor  looks !  The 
Prince  is  a  dear  !"  Torquay  was  delighted  with  both. 
It  was  while  the  Emperor  was  sunning  himself  at 
Torquay  that  he  was  credited  with  the  intention  of 
quitting  England  and  making  Canada  his  permanent 
home.     No  such  idea  ever  entered  his  head. 

August,  1872,  found  the  Emperor  at  the  little 
Sussex  resort  Bognor,  where  he  passed  a  pleasant 
week.  There  was  the  greatest  curiosity  to  see  him, 
but  no  disagreeable  "  mobbing."  From  quiet  Bognor 
His  Majesty  went  to  Brighton,  at  the  invitation  of 
the  Mayor.     His  reception  was  enthusiastic  ;  a  crowd 


4r.  EMPIIKSS  laU^iKNlK 

i:::itlK'rril  ill  I'roiit  of  tlic  hotel,  and  clict'i'cd  until  the 
l^mpertu"  apjii-nivil  at  tlii'  window.  TIk'  liritisli 
Asstx'iatioii  was  lioldinjj,"  its  annual  niei'tinji,',  and  lOr 
t\\v  first  tinu'  in  its  liistorv  it  widconicd  a  Xapoleon. 
lirnrN  M.  Stanley,  wlioni  the  \r/r  Yark  llcidld  and 
the  Dai/i/  Teleirraph  had  sent  to  Africa  in  ijuest  of 
Dr.  Uvinustone,  road  a  jiajx'r  on  his  travels  across 
tlie  Ihirk  Continent,  and  received  the  Kni])eror's  hearty 
coni;Tatularions.  The  Empress  and  tlie  I'rince 
Imperial,  iresh  from  their  Scottish  tour,  joined  His 
Majesty  at  liriii,hton  ;  and  on  the  17th  the  Knijieror 
and  his  son  visited  the  Acpiarium,  which  was  just  then 
the  leading  attraction.  Messrs.  George  Soames  and 
M.  Stevens,  as  chairman  and  vice-chairman,  received 
the  imperial  pair,  and  to  the  popular  naturalist, 
Mr.  Henry  Lee,  was  allotted  the  welcome  duty  of 
describing  the  contents  of  the  tanks.  We  have  the 
assurance  of  the  newspapers  that  Napoleon  IH.  and 
tlie  young  hero  of  Saarbriicken  listened  to  Mr.  Lee's 
informal  lecture  with  the  greatest  interest. 

A  few  days  later  (August  21)  the  Lmperor,  the 
Empress,  and  the  Prince  crossed  to  Ryde.  The 
Empress  called  on  the  Marquis  of  Exeter  at  Brook- 
Held  ;  the  Emperor  and  his  son  amused  themselves  by 
a  stroll  through  the  streets,  cheered  at  every  step  by 
people  who  had  come  from  all  parts  of  the  island. 
They  re-embarked  amidst  a  lively  demonstration  of 
sympathy  and  good-will. 

The  Em})ero  rdid  not  accompany  his  consort  and 
the  Prince  when,  on  August  23,  they  paid  a  visit  to 
the  fleet  at  Portsmouth,  making  the  tour  of  the 
squadron  in  the  Duke  of  Cambridge's  yacht  Black 
£ogle,  under  the  guidance  of  Flag-Captain  Carr-Glyn, 
and  subsequently  being  conducted  through  the  arsenal 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHURST  47 

by  Admiral  Sir  Leopold  McClintock,  one  of  the 
officers  who  are  dear  to  British  memories  for  their 
share  in  the  Polar  expeditions  for  the  attempted 
rescue  of  Sir  John  Franklin.  Among  others  who 
were  presented  to  Her  Majesty  by  Sir  J.  Rodney  was 
Admiral  Sir  Charles  Talbot,  who  had  taken  part  in 
the  Crimean  War.  Next  the  Empress  and  her  son 
went  on  board  the  Minotaur^  Admiral  Hornby  re- 
ceiving them  and  explaining  the  construction  and  the 
features  of  the  vesseL 

From  the  day  of  his  arrival  in  England  the  Emperor 
})egan  to  pay  afresh  the  penalty  for  his  acts  and  deeds 
in  the  previous  year. 

The  Council  of  Inquiry,  presided  over  by  Marshal 
Baraguay  d'Hilliers,  had  investigated  the  circum- 
stances attending  the  successive  capitulations  of  French 
fortresses  and  battalions  in  1870,  and  gave  its  decision 
in  May,  1872.  The  Council  declared,  inter  alia,  that 
the  responsibilit}^  for  the  capitulation  of  Sedan  rested 
upon  the  Emperor,  "  a  culprit  beyond  reach  of  the 
national  vengeance,"  being  then  at  Chislehurst. 
Against  this  weighty  accusation,  which  was  con- 
sidered by  many  English  military  experts  to  be  not 
altogether  warranted  by  the  facts,  the  Emperor 
defended  himself  in  a  spirited  letter,  written  at 
Camden  Place,  containing  this  passage  :  "  We  obeyed 
a  cruel,  but  inexorable,  necessity.  My  heart  was 
broken,  but  my  conscience  was  tranquil  !" 

The  blow  dealt  Napoleon  HI.  by  the  Council  of 
Inquiry  was  not  the  only  one.  The  National  Assembly 
at  Bordeaux,  in  1871,  had  passed  a  resolution,  pro- 
posed by  M.  Target,  who  died  only  in  1908,  confirming 
the  expulsion  of  the  Emperor  and  his  dynasty,  and  de- 


48  EMPRESS  EUGENIE 

chu-inL;  tlu-iu  rcsjMnisiltlc  for  "  the  ruin,  iii\  iisioii, 
and  (lisnu'iulxTniciit  of  I'rancc."  Tliov  wcic  hitter 
\vor(l>^,  I>nt  :i  S(':»|)(>u-oat  \v;is  noccssMry.  M.  TliicM'S 
atlcU'd  to  tlio  niiscrv  of  the  Sovereign  in  exile, 
Addrossinu-  one  of  two  Corsican  deputies,  Conti  and 
(iavini  (the  fornuT  had  l)een  the  Emperor's  r//r/"  rA? 
mh'nu'f)^  Thiers  asked  :  "  I)o  you  know,  sir,  wliat 
tliose  Princes  wlioui  you  represent  say  ?  Tliey  say 
thev  are  not  the  authors  of  this  war.  Well,  give 
them  the  lie  in  the  most  formal  manner  !" 

The  Em})eror  had  issued  from  Wilhelmshiihe  a 
l^roti'st  against  tlie  resolution  adopted  ))y  the  National 
Assemhly,  with  only  six  dissentients.  Napoleon 
wrote :  "  I  would  fain  have  kept  silence,  but  the 
declaration  of  the  Assembly  forces  me  to  protest  in 
the  name  of  truth  outraged  and  the  nation's  rights 
abused." 

.lust  before  the  latter  event — on  March  1 — the 
Germans  had  entered  Paris,  the  Emperor  William 
remaining  on  the  race-course  at  Longchamp. 

Conversing  with  one  of  the  frecpienters  of  the 
Bona])artist  mloii  at  the  Hotel  de  Flandre,  Brussels 
(to  be  presently  referred  to),  M.  Thiers  said  : 
"  Emperors  and  Kings  appear  to  me  to  have  had 
their  dav  in  France.  Look  here,  my  friend,  you 
think  as  I  do.  Were  you  not  one  of  the  chiefs  of 
that  conspiracy  which  sought  to  restore  the  Empire  ? 
What  has  become  of  that  conspiracy  ?  Where  are 
all  your  fine  schemes  now  ?  You  could  not  agree 
amongst  yourselves.  Changarnier  would  not  listen 
to  you,  [In  this,  as  will  be  seen,  Thiers  was  mis- 
taken.] He  is  a  brave  soldier,  but  really  an  old 
woman.  The  Orleanists  might  have  had  a  chance  of 
reigning,  but  their  stupidities  have  made  them  unpop- 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHUKST  49 

ular.  I  tell  you  that  the  Republic  will  long  govern 
France.  The  Bonapartes  are  finished — absolutely 
finished.  But  should  the  French  people  ever  recall 
a  dynasty,  it  will  be  theirs.  We  shall  not  see  it,  but 
perhaps  our  grandchildren  may.  The  Napoleons  are 
democrats,  and  their  name  will  never  be  forgotten. 
But  to-day  the  people  want  the  Republic,  and  it  will 
be  best  for  them."     Thiers  was  a  true  prophet. 

Many  years  previously  the  Due  de  Persigny, 
writing  to  Lord  Malmesbury,  had  said :  "  France  is 
a  great  democracy,  which  needs  discipline,  and  no 
element  is  so  fitted  to  represent  it  as  the  Napoleonic." 

The  Bonapartists  had  no  more  embittered  critic 
than  the  Due  d'Audriffet-Pasquier.  Whilst  the  exile- 
in-chief,  his  days  already  numbered,  was  occupied 
at  Chislehurst  with  the  restoration  project,  the  Due 
presented  to  the  Chamber  the  damning  report  of  the 
Committee  of  Contracts  for  arms  and  ammunition 
concluded  by  the  military  administration  from  July  18, 
1870,  onwards.  He  drew  a  startling  picture  of  the 
unreadiness  and  disorder  of  the  Imperial  War  Depart- 
ment, and  denounced  the  dishonesty  and  shameless 
greed  of  the  persons  who  had  undertaken  contracts  at 
the  outbreak  of  the  war.  These  disclosures  excited 
great  indignation  in  the  Assembly  against  the  Govern- 
ment of  Napoleon  III.  The  implacable  Due  became 
the  hero  of  the  hour,  and  the  speech  which  he 
delivered  in  presenting  the  report  was  ordered  to  be 
printed  and  circulated  throughout  what  was  now  a 
fervently  Republican  France. 

Rouher's  defence  was  of  the  lamest,  the  most 
unconvincing,  and  the  reply  of  the  Due  was  the  more 
effective.  Referring  to  Rouher's  feeble  excuses,  the 
Due  said  indignantly  :   "  I  tell    you  that,  no  matter 

4 


:>0  EM  PRESS  EUOlilNlE 

wliat  tlu'  snim-froid  ol"  all  vou  liulit-licartcd  o;ontrv — 
IK)  matter  how  pleasiu":  the  shades  of  Chisleliurst — 
there  was  an  hour  when  you  must  have  heard  a  voice 
ervinc;,  '  Vare,  redde  legiones  !' — 'Give  us  back  our 
legions  I — i::ive  us  the  i^iory  of  our  fathers  ;  give  us 
back  our  Provinces  !' "  Having  spoken  of  the  abuses 
whicli  prevailed  under  the  Empire,  the  Due  ended  his 
mordant  speech  with  the  words,  "  May  God  protect 
France  from  ever  again  falling  into  hands  by  which 
she  has  been  so  ill-governed  !" 

Gambetta  once  more  fell  foul  of  the  man  who 
carried  matters  with  such  a  high  hand  at  Chislehurst 
a  little  later.  "  Justice  has  commenced  !"  he  thun- 
dered. "  It  has  seized  in  turn  Morny,  Jecker,  Maxi- 
milian, and  Napoleon  III.  It  clutches  Bazaine.  It 
awaits  you  !" 

In  such  hands  Rouher  was  the  merest  shuttlecock. 
Yet  the  Empress  put  her  trust  in  him  until  the  end, 
leaning  complacently  on  that  broken  reed.  He  had 
been  for  years  devoted  to  the  Emperor,  even,  so  his 
critics  affirmed,  to  the  point  of  sycophancy,  and  they 
jocosely  said  of  him  that  whenever  Napoleon  III.  had 
an  attack  of  biliousness,  a  cold,  or  a  cough,  Rouher 
was  always  found  to  be  suffering  similarly. 

In  order  to  explain  the  attempts  which  were  made 
to  restore  the  fallen  dynasty,  reference  must  be  made 
to  events  which  preceded  the  landing  of  Napoleon  III. 
at  Dover  on  March  20,  and  had  their  sequel  in 
England. 

Until  the  Emperor's  arrival  at  Chislehurst,  the 
principal  scenes  of  the  restoration  drama — or,  as 
Thiers,  Gambetta,  and  the  other  heads  of  the  Republi- 
can jjarty  deemed  it,  the  Bonapartist  comedy — were 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHUUST  51 

enacted  at  Brussels,  whither  all  who  had  the  means 
fled  long  before   Paris  was  besieged.     Between  Sep- 
tember,  1870,  and   March,   1871,  then,   the   Belgian 
capital  was  the  main  centre  of  the  propaganda,  those 
concerned  taking  the  time  now  from  Chislehurst  and 
now  from  Wilhelmshohe.     The  Hotel  de  Flandre  was 
the  headquarters  of  the  conspirators,  who  assembled 
daily  for  business  purposes  in  a  large  salon.     Mme.  de 
MacMahon  (wife  of  the  Marshal),  her  mother,  and  her 
sister,  the  Duchesse  de  Castries  ;  the  witty  Comtesse 
de  Beaumont,  Mme.  Canrobert  (the  other  Marshal's 
spouse),  the  Due  d'Albufera,  General   Fleury   (who 
had  been   chaflng  at  the  Embassy  at  St.  Petersburg 
while   other  commanders  were  defending  the  sacred 
soil).  General  de  Montebello — these  were  some  of  the 
Bonapartist  party  to  be  seen  daily  and  nightly  in  the 
council-room  of  the  Flandre.     That  M.  Teschard,  who 
had  been    sent   to   Brussels    by  the  Government   of 
National    Defence   as   its   diplomatic    representative, 
should  have  been  found  amongst  the  plotters  seems  a 
little  surprising.     M.   Teschard 's  wife  was  German, 
and  when  the  time  came  for  the  Alsatians  and  Lor- 
rainers  to  declare  whether   they  desired   to   remain 
French  or  to  live  thenceforward  under  the  rule  of  the 
conquerors,  the    Teschards    "  opted "   for   Germany. 
M.  Teschard's  Bonapartist  proclivities,  as  displayed  by 
him  at  the   Hotel  de  Flandre,  did  not  at  all  please 
Gambetta,  who  asked  him  for  an  explanation  of  his 
presence  "  amongst  those  '  charmers.'  "     Coming  from 
Gambetta,    the   phrase   had   a   decided  piquancy,  as 
those  who  perused  the  famous  "  love-letters  "  which 
were  o;iven  to  the  world  in  1907  must  admit. 

The  centre   of   the   group  was,  however.  General 
Changarnier,  who,  despite  the  fact  that  he  was  one  of 

4—2 


:>2  EMPRESS  EUCRNIE 

tlu'  imtaliK'S  who  witc  arrested  and  tlirown  into  |»ris<)n 
at  till'  time  <tl'  the  couit  (fctdt — a  fate  lie  sliarcd  with 
Tliiers — had  niai::iiaiiiin»)uslv  rallied  to  the  iiH|>eriaI 
cause  ill  its  last  extremity.  Tlie  value  wiiicli 
Naj)i>leon  III.  attaidied  to  CMiauiiarnier's  co-operation 
at  tliis  juncture  is  seen  hy  tlie  Emperor's  letters. 

An  //  p/djtos  story  has  been  told  of  Gambetta.  After 
he  had  become  Foreign  Minister,  one  of  the  fair 
"  charmers  "  of  the  Hotel  de  Flandre  had  a  conversa- 
tii^n  with  him,  and,  the  talk  turning  u])on  the  events 
of  1870,  the  Tribune  suddenly  opened  a  drawer. 
"  You  see  this  drawer,"  said  he.  "  It  contains  letters 
and  despatches  of  all  kinds  relating  to  politics.  Well, 
the  oftener  I  read  and  reread  them,  the  more  I  am 
convinced  that  many  of  the  actions  for  which  the 
Emperor  has  been  reproached  were  justifiable.  Ah! 
when  one  is  only  in  opposition,  when  one  knows 
nothing  of  the  enormous  difficulties  of  a  Government, 
when,  in  fact,  one  is  altogether  ignorant  of  the  dessous 
des  cartes^  everything  then  seems  easy  to  criticize. 
Rut  I  do  not  hesitate  to  tell  you  that  it  is  wrong  for  a 
man  to  systematically  blame  his  adversary.  None 
but  those  who  have  not  had  '  a  finger  in  the  pie  '  can 
do  it ;  I  have  been  one  of  those,  and  I  regret  it." 
Gambetta  could  do  "  the  handsome  thing  "  on  occasion. 

The  Emperor's  depression  during  the  iirst  month  of 
his  captivity  had  led  him  to  think  of  anything  rather 
than  of  the  possibility  of  reconquering  the  throne 
which  he  had  lost.  There  is  proof  of  this  in  a  letter 
which  he  wrote  to  a  friend  on  September  2<S  :  "  I 
believe  there  is  nothing  to  be  done  under  existing 
circumstances  except  to  correct  the  misstatements  of 
the  newspapers,  and  work  as  much  as  possible  upon 
public  opinion."     He  nipped  in  the  bud  the  first  idea 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHUUST  53 

of  a  restoration.  A  large  number  of  his  friends 
shared  his  opinion.  To  the  intransigeanU  who  found 
Camden  Place  an  agreeable  resort  for  a  week  or  two, 
the  absent  Emperor's  opinions  were  of  little  conse- 
quence ;  he  was  a  negligible  quantity  for  the  time. 
Men  like  M.  Magne,  whose  financial  skill  was  so 
warmly  admired  by  the  Empress,  agreed  with  the 
Emperor  that  to  talk  about  re-establisliing  the  Empire 
was  futile.  "  Look  at  the  state  of  public  opinion," 
wrote  Magne  from  near  Vevey  on  October  12,  1870. 
"  Besides,  public  attention  is  almost  exclusively  occu- 
pied with  the  question  of  the  national  defence.  It 
argues  the  possession  of  much  temerity  on  the  part  of 
those  who  make  conjectures  and  predictions,  or  who, 
as  I  have  said  in  this  letter,  formulate  projects  either 
for  the  near  or  the  distant  future." 

And  on  November  18,  by  which  time  the  well-cared- 
for  prisoner  at  Wilhelmshiihe  had  shaken  off  the 
torpor  into  which  he  had  fallen,  M.  Magne  wrote :  "I 
do  not  understand  the  reports  which  are  in  circulation 
respecting  the  pretended  reactionary  plots.  In  my 
opinion,  it  is  madness  to  talk  about  such  a  thing  [as 
"  restoration  "].  No  one  can  know  what  the  future 
will  bring  forth.  But  at  the  moment  there  is  no 
choice  between  a  moderate  Republic  and  a  Republic 
a  la  Robespierre."  Magne,  one  of  the  Emperor's  wisest 
and  ablest  counsellors,  added,  in  the  bitterness  of  his 
soul :  "  Have  you  read  the  documents  found  at  the 
Tuileries — those  showing  how  Rouher  and  Lavalette 
caused  the  Emperor  to  give  me  my  conge  as  a 
member  of  the  Privy  Council  ?  You  know  that  I 
had  had  a  presentiment  of  this,  founded  upon  my 
knowledge  of  their  feelings  and  of  the  Empress's." 
Magne's    opinions   were   doubtless   shared   by   the 


54  KMPIJKSS  KUnKXTK 

nmrt'  serious  H()na))artists  ;  it  was,  liowt'vc  r,  in  tliat 
same  niontli  of  Novi'inhcr  lliat  a  certain — I  will  even 
say  a  e(>n>i(lt'ral>le  section  «►!  the  partN  resolved  to 
make  an  etVort  to  rc-seat  Napoleon  ill.  on  the  throne, 
and  that  tiic  l".ni|trr(»r  and  lMn|»ress  directed  tiie 
movement  whiih  they  fondly  hoped  wouki  be  success- 
ful. ( )ni'  of  their  principal  ol)iects  was  to  secure 
tin-  co-operation  of  (Jeneral  ('hani;arnier.  IJoth  the 
Kmperor  anil  the  Empress  brought  their  influence  to 
hear  upon  him. 

C'hanuarnier  was  at  lieart  a  Leu:itimist,  lioldini^  tlie 
o})inion — suflieiently  amusini.;'  after  the  la])se  of  nearly 
forty  years — that  only  the  Comte  de  Chambord  could 
restore  quiet  and  prosperity  to  France  ;  he  had  even 
persuaded  himself  that  "  the  King  "  would  accept  the 
tricolour  ;  this  lielief,  as  we  know,  proved  illusory, 
for  at  the  critical  moment  Dc  Chambord  declared 
that  it  must  be  the  "  white  "  flag  or  none. 

For  a  long  time  Changarnier  sat  on  the  fence. 
The  "  charmers  "  at  the  Hotel  de  Flandre  lavished 
their  blandishments  upon  him,  but  failed  to  extract 
either  a  yea  or  a  nay.  The  fair  creatures  were  in 
despair.  Never  before  had  the  voices  of  these  sirens 
})leaded  vainly  to  the  most  adamant  heart.  Their 
little  hour  of  transient  happiness  was,  however,  at 
hand.  A  redoubtable  ally  came  on  the  scene — Fleury, 
name  of  happy  augury  :  the  debonair,  jovial  General 
Fleury.  He  had  been  anything  l)ut  (lu  mieux  with 
the  Empress,  who  liad  got  rid  of  him  by  causing  him 
to  accept  the  Embassy  at  St.  Petersburg,  and  to 
retaiJi  it  while  this  beau  sahreur^  this  terrible  fire-eater, 
was  pining  to  "  get  at  "  the  Prussians.  Fleury,  then, 
one  fine  day,  at  the  prayer  of  the  Emperor,  appeared 
in  the  dovecote  of  the  Flandre.     Before  he  had  got 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHURST  55 

through  a  cigar  he  had  Changarnier  "  in  his  pocket." 
Where  Venus — a  dozen  Venuses — had  failed,  Mars 
was  victorious.  Tennyson  told  Hawker  of  Morwen- 
stow  that  his  chief  reliance  for  bodily  force  was  on 
wine.  "  I  should  conceive,"  said  the  worthy  parson, 
"  that  he  yielded  to  the  conqueror  of  Ariadne  ever 
and  anon."  Fleury's  bitterest  enemies — and  they 
were  to  be  found,  if  anywhere,  amongst  the  syco- 
phants of  "  the  Empress's  party  " — could  say  nothing- 
worse  of  this  devoted  friend  of  Napoleon  III.  and 
"  the  little  Prince  "  than  that  he  saw  much  virtue  in 
a  goblet  of  "  fizz." 

But  although  Changarnier  was  induced  by  the 
persuasive,  imaginative  Fleury  to  cast  in  his  lot  with 
Napoleon  III.,  his  native  modesty  did  not  desert  him. 
He  knew  his  value.  The  Emperor,  through  Fleury, 
had  as  good  as  told  him  that,  if  a  successful  restora- 
tion was  to  be  engineered,  his  assistance  was  indis- 
pensable. No  Changarnier,  no  Empire.  "  If  I  am  to 
join  you,"  he  said,  "  I  must  have  a  quid  pro  quo. ' 
Fleury  agreed  that  he  would  deserve  to  be  well 
recompensed.  What  did  he  propose  ?  "I  propose 
that  we  shall  place  the  Prince  Imperial  on  the  throne, 
with  myself  as  Regent.  Napoleon  III.  and  the 
Empress  to  stand  aside.     I  await  formal  overtures." 

Those  overtures  did  not  come,  and  the  ruse,  vacil- 
lating Changarnier  returned  to  his  old  Royalist  love. 
It  Avas  not  long,  however,  ere  he  was  again  approached 
on  behalf  of  the  Emperor,  who,  in  a  letter  to  a  friend, 
dated  Wilhelmshohe,  December  23,  emphasized  the 
necessity  of  "  keeping  in  "  with  the  General,  who  was 
to  be  told  that,  "  at  the  right  moment,"  the  Emperor 
"  would  have  recourse  to  his  advice." 

That  Changarnier  was  for  a  brief  space  the  central 


5r.  KMPKKSS   Kr(;RNlE 

tigiire  ill  tliis  von,spir(itnui  dc  pnlni.s  there  is  little,  ii' 
;uiv,  il(»ul)f.  If  with  his  assistniicc  the  plot  succeeded, 
he  was  to  i)i'  iu;ide  a  Marsjial.  Hut  he  still  asserted 
his  claim  to  iiold  the  He<>^encv  uutil  the  Prince 
Imperial  came  «d"  auc  ;  that  was  the  price  ol"  his 
patriotism,  ilemauded  while  he  was  uri^iui;"  Thiers  to 
su])port  tiie  Comte  de  Chamliord  ! 

'I'he  New  Year  (1«'*»71)  dawned  gh)omily  for  tlie 
Ronaj)artists — for  their  titular  cliief  at  Wilhelmshiilie 
and  for  the  imperial  lady  and  her  son  at  Chislehurst. 
Verv  soon  siuns  of  (lisintei!:ration  were  visihle  in  the 
ranks  of  the  imperialist  plotters.  Some  were  in 
favour  of  the  Prince  Imperial  and  a  Changarnier 
Regency  ;  others  plumped  for  Napoleon  III.  Then 
came  the  final  break-up  of  the  sections,  and  the 
council-room  at  the  Flandre  was  deserted  by  the 
"  charmers,"  who  had  plotted,  and  intrigued,  and 
beguiled  in  vain. 

A  document  of  an  extraordinary  character,  pur- 
porting to  be  issued  by  the  "  Central  Committee  of 
Appeal  to  the  People,"  was  distributed  amongst  the 
electors  of  the  Nievre  during  M.  Bourgoing's  candida- 
ture for  that  department.  M.  Rouher  repudiated  the 
document,  and  declared  that  he  had  no  knowledge  of 
the  existence  of  any  Bonapartist  "  committees,"  but  his 
disclaimer  did  not  produce  much  effect.  It  was  said 
that  eighty  newspapers,  with  an  aggregate  circulation  of 
500,000  copies  weekly,  were  spreading  the  restoration 
propaganda  in  the  provinces,  and  that  a  special  police 
force  had  been  organized.  To  this  widespread  reac- 
tionary movement  the  appropriate  title  of  "  Demagogic 
Csesarism  "  w^as  given. 

One  journal  was  said  to  have  been  established  with 
the  avowed  sardonic  object  of  "  rallying  Socialism  to 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHUEST  57 

the  cause  of  the  Em])ire,  and  allying  tlie  imperial 
restoration  with  the  debru  of  the  Commune."  It  was 
asserted  that  some  of  the  Communist  prisoners  had 
been  "  got  at,"  and  were  promised  an  amnesty  in  the 
event  of  an  imperial  restoration.  Some  of  these  gaol- 
birds were  reported  to  have  written  letters,  intended 
for  circulation  amongst  the  working  population  of 
Paris,  containing  their  "  unreserved  adhesion  "  to  the 
projects  of  the  Bonapartist  committees.  Further,  it 
was  affirmed  that  Bonapartist  agents  had  gone  about 
assurino;  their  credulous  hearers  that  the  Marshal- 
President  had  accepted  the  mission  of  preparing  the 
restoration  of  the  imperial  dynasty.  Attempts — so  it 
was  said — were  made  to  subvert  the  loyalty  of  the 
army  and  gendarmerie. 

Hitherto  the  Parisians  had  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  the 
stories  of  the  Bonapartist  intrigues  at  Brussels  and 
Chislehurst.  The  tierce  fighting  in  the  winter,  the 
peace  negotiations,  the  three  days'  "  occupation  "  of  the 
capital,  the  war  loan,  and  then  the  Commune,  had 
engrossed  them.  The  months  passed,  and  in  September 
they,  too,  experienced  a  sharp  attack  of  restoration 
fever.  The  papers  were  full  of  it ;  it  was  a  fresh 
topic,  and  boulevard  and  faubourg  were  pining  for 
something  new  to  chat  about.  "  Bonapartist  intrigues," 
"  Plot  for  the  restoration  of  Napoleon  III.,"  "  The 
Emperor  to  make  a  descent  from  Torquay,"  "  Regi- 
ments bought  wholesale  by  the  Emperor  " — this  was 
stimulating  fare.  Amidst  all  these  cancans  one  estab- 
lished fact  stood  boldly  out :  Bonapartist  pamphlets — 
seditious  publications — had  been  distributed  amongst 
the  troops,  the  treasonable  tracts  being  hidden  between 
two  portraits  of  M.  Thiers  ! 


58  KMPRRSS  EUGENTE 

Tin- elections  f"(»r  tlir  (\>nsi'ils-(f(''ntTau\  Ii;i(l  Ix'cn 
ilisastrous  for  tlu-  lUmajtartist  caiulidatcs  ;  l)iit  oiu' 
read,  "  in  sjtitr  of  this  the  l)()iia|)artist  niovi'niciit  is 
attrac-tini;-  niori'  and  more  attention  every  dav,  and 
even  tlie  most  s(  rions  journals  auree  in  ui'i;ini;"  the 
Government  not  Xu  despise  the  danger  whicli  the 
attempts  of  Strasl)uri!,'  and  lM)uloL:;ne  and  tiie  roup 
tft'tiit  (d"  IS.M  iiave  j)r()ved  tt)  he  anytliini;  l)ut 
ehimerieal."  It  was  curious  to  tind  lionapartist 
journals  siding  with  the  Radical  press  in  advocating 
a  general  amnesty  on  hehalf  of  the  Commnnist 
])risoners,  a  plcl)iscitum,  and  universal  suffrage.  A 
fortnight  had  suHiced  to  produce  this  change  of  public 
opinion,  as  represented  by  the  chameleon  press. 

The  restoration  excitement  lasted  just  about  a  month. 
In  those  four  weeks  appeared  a  new  l>ona])artist  ])a})er, 
called — one  would  think  in  pleasant  irony — UOrdrc^ 
edited  by  that  pungent  and  pugnacious  writer, 
M.  Clement  Duvernois,  w^ho  had  been  for  long  a 
])rime  fayourite  of  the  exiles.  Until  the  appearance 
of  the  new  journal,  the  principal  Bonapartist  organs 
had  been  the  Pdijs  (Paul  de  Cassagnac's  tire-and- 
brimstone  sheet)  and  VAvenir  Lihiral ;  and  the  three 
of  them  worried  the  Government  until  the  suspension 
of  the  P(i//.s  and  L' On/re  was  decreed.  An  incident 
in  October  provoked  not  a  little  amusement  at 
Chislehurst.  Prince  Napoleon  had  gone  to  Corsica 
to  solicit  a  seat  in  the  General  Council — an  act  whicli 
so  irritated  M.  Thiers  and  his  sensitive  colleagues 
that  they  despatched  a  squadron  of  ironclads,  w^iich, 
to  the  amazement  of  the  islanders,  appeared  in  the 
bay  four  days  after  the  landing  of  the  Prince  at 
Ajaccio  I  The  Prince  was  not  much  more  popular 
in  Corsica  than  in  Paris  ;  nevertheless  he  was  elected. 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHURST  59 

By  the  end  of  October  the  Bonapartist  "  bogey  " 
had  vanished  from  Paris  as  suddenly  as  it  had  ap- 
peared, and  there  was  an  end  of  all  the  wild  talk 
about  restoration  plots  and  intrigues.  For  this 
collapse  of  the  Bonapartist  movement  the  Emperor 
was  held  responsible.  His  Majesty,  incredible  as  it 
seems  even  now,  had  allowed  himself  to  be  inter- 
viewed at  Chislehurst,  and  the  article  was  declared  to 
be  pul)lished  "  by  permission."  Napoleon  III.,  in 
this  ill-judged  statement,  expressed  his  desire  that  all 
the  world  should  know  that,  at  the  time,  he  was  not 
at  all  ambitious,  had  not  the  least  wish  to  take  the 
management  of  affairs  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Pro- 
visional Government,  greatly  disliked  plots  and 
intrigues,  and  believed  that  his  adherents  knew 
nothing  about  them  ! 

These  Chislehurst  declarations,  amounting  to  a 
manifesto,  created  consternation  amongst  his  devoted 
followers  in  France,  the  most  rabid  Bonapartist 
journals  vehemently  asserting  that  it  was  unwise  of 
the  Emperor,  not  only  to  have  published,  but  even 
to  have  uttered  them.  In  London  it  was  sur- 
mised that  the  "  interview  "  had  its  raison  d'etre  in  a 
mild  but  firmly  -  expressed  remonstrance  by  the 
Government,  who,  while  readily  consenting  to  allow 
the  Emperor  and  Empress  to  reside  here  as  long  as 
they  pleased,  could  not  and  would  not  run  the  risk  of 
seriously  offending  the  Provisional  Government  by 
apparently  countenancing  any  of  those  plots  or 
intrigues  which  were  supposed  to  have  their  genesis 
at  Chislehurst. 

All  this  time  the  Royalist  party  had  not  been  idle. 
MacMahon  had  not  been  long  in  power  when  the 
Legitimists  sought  to  mature  a  long- conceived  plan 


r.O  KMPIU^SS  EUr.F.NTE 

fi)r  invifliiL:,-  tin*  Cniiitt'  dr  ( 'lianiliord  to  (XM-upv  the 
vaonnt  tliroiu'.  A  (l('])iit:itioii  \v;iitr(i  on  "  Henry  \'." 
:it  Fn)lis(l«)rt'.  Tlic  sliop  windows  in  V:\v\s  ;ni(l  the 
hinco  towns  (lisj)l;iv('(l  |tlioto'4r;»])lis  of  'Mlic  Kini;,'' 
maps  (»f  France  under  Louis  XIW,  and  records  of  tlic 
i^reat  events  wliicli  (Mcurrefl  durinLi  tlie  lon«i^  reign  of 
tlic  liourlious  ;  the  terrihK'  revolutions  in  wliicli  llieir 
H-ovcrnini;-  svstoni  culminated  were,  however,  un- 
mentioued.  Marshal  AhuMahon  was  said  to  have 
hoen  in  secret  sympathy,  not  with  the  Chislehurst 
exiles,  but  witli  the  Monarchists,  whose  "  movement  " 
came  to  nauuht.  France  would  have  neither  Bona- 
partism  nor  l>ourl)onism. 

It  was,  naturally,  only  after  the  F^mperor's  death 
that  the  world  began  to  learn,  by  slow  degrees,  of  the 
]>reparations  for  a  restoration  of  the  imperial  regime 
wliicli  were  made  at  Chislehurst  between  March,  1871, 
and  December,  1<S7:^.  I  have  often  heard  it  said  that 
the  date  of  this  second  coup  (Tetat  was  fixed  for  the 
spring  of  lcS73,  that  Germany  would  have  connived 
at  a  Bona])artist  rising,  and  that  the  Great  Powders 
were  favourably  disposed.  All  this  seems  to  me 
incredible.  The  great  mass  of  the  F'rench  people 
execrated  the  name  of  Bonaparte.  How  could  it 
have  been  otherwise  ?  It  is  hig-hlv  siiiniticant 
that,  although  Mr.  Blanchard  Jerrold's  "  Life  of 
Napoleon  III,"  is  an  elaborate  work  in  four  volumes, 
only  the  final  short  chapter  is  devoted  to  Chislehurst, 
and  in  those  few  pages  no  reference  is  made  to  the 
jjlottings  at  Camden  Place.  It  must  be  remembered, 
however,  that  this  "  Life  "  is  an  "  official"  one  ;  which 
may  account  for  the  author's  silence  concerning  those 
restoration  plans  which  were  declared  by  the 
Comte  de  La  Chapelle  and  one  or  two  others  to  have 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHURST  61 

been  "  complete."  Mr.  Jerrold  asserts  that  "  the 
most  notable  of  the  afternoon  discussions  at  Chisle- 
hiirst "  was  tliat  in  which  the  Emperor  renewed  his 
conversation  with  the  late  Mr.  Thornton  Hunt"^  "  on 
the  idea  of  an  International  Arbitration  Congress 
that  had  formed  the  subject  of  an  interview  at  the 
Tuileries  in  March,  18G5."  Mr.  Jerrold's  work  is  so 
documente  throughout  that  the  omission  of  even  the 
slightest  reference  to  the  restoration  episode  is  all 
the  more  marked,  yet  not,  as  I  have  hinted,  sur- 
prising, in  view  of  its  avowedly  official  character. 

In  1872  there  was  published  a  brochure  entitled 
"  Les  Forces  Militaires  de  la  France  en  1870."  It 
purported  to  be  written  by  the  Comte  de  La  Chapelle, 
but  that  g-entleman,  several  years  later,  revealed  the 
interesting  fact  that  the  work,  from  beginning  to  end, 
was  from  the  Emperor's  own  pen.  Napoleon  III. 
admitted  the  authorship  by  writing  on  a  copy  of 
the  pamphlet  which  he  desired  the  Count  to  send 
to  M.  Saint-Genest :  "  Monsieur  Saint-Genest,  in  a 
remarkable  article  published  in  the  Figaro^  asserts 
that  the  Emperor's  crime  was  that  of  declaring  war 
when  he  ought  to  have  known  that  France  was  not 
prepared  to  wage  it.  It  would  be  more  just  to  say 
that  the  Emperor's  mistake  was  that  of  reckoning 
upon  the  exactitude  of  the  state  of  affairs  and  upon 
the  possibility  of  reuniting  in  a  few  days  the  various 
elements  of  which  the  armies  were  composed. — 
Napoleon." 

The  Emperor  naturally  wished  to  give  his  pamphlet 
the  widest  possible  circulation  in  France,  for  it  was, 
as  regards  his  policy  and  action  respecting  the  war  of 
*  A  prominent  member  of  the  editorial  staff"  of  the  Baily  Telegraph. 


G2  1:M  PRESS  EUCENIE 

1S7<>-71,  Mil  iiftofdiild  1)1(1  rid)  sua.  lie  sent  the 
rt>intccK'  La  Cliajx'lli'  to  Paris,  witli  written  instruc- 
tions to  i^i't  tlu'  l-reni'li  journals  to  review  the  work, 
"  l)ut,"  writes  tlie  imperial  emissary,  "  1  found  myself 
confronted  hv  a  hostile  onrani/ation  which  rendered 
me  powi'rless  to  carry  out  my  instructions.  Tlie 
lieads  of  the  imperialist  j)arty  devoted  to  the  Emj)re8S 
were  opj^osed  to  the  puhlication  of  the  ])ami)hlet  ; 
they  decideil,  in  their  wisdom,  that  the  orij,anization 
of  a  conspiracy  of  silence  would  suffice  to  stiiie  the 
F^mperor's  words."  That  his  expressed  wishes  sliould 
be  thus  disregarded  by  the  lieads  of  the  party  greatly 
incensed  and  pained  the  Emperor.  He  had  his 
revenge,  however,  through  the  fairness  of  M.  Saint- 
Genest,  who,  although  an  opponent  of  the  Empire, 
impartially  reviewed  the  pamphlet  in  the  Figaro^ 
and  was  thus  the  means  of  forcing  the  French  and 
other  }xipers  to  notice  the  imperial  l)rochure. 

"  This  incident,"  the  writer  continues,  "  was  very 
advantageous  to  me.  It  made  me  acquainted  wntli  the 
intrigues  of  the  systematic  conspiracy  created  by  the 
Regency  against  the  Sovereign.  I  learnt  how  the 
statesmen  who  owed  everything  to  the  Emperor  had 
not  ceased  to  betray  him  both  at  the  Tuilcries  and 
during  the  fatal  campaign  of  1870.  I  was  able  to 
follow  with  certainty  the  threads  of  this  duplicity 
which  had  surrounded  the  Emperor  on  the  throne  and 
conducted  him  to  the  abyss,  dragging  into  it  France 
herself.  I  asked  the  Emperor  if  it  was  necessary  to 
consult  M.  Rouher  respecting  a  mission  which  I  had 
to  carry  out  at  Paris.  '  Certainly  not,'  said  His 
Majesty.  '  M.  Rouher  wants  to  do  everything  and 
does  nothing.  We  want  new  men,  independent,  wdio 
do  not  believe  that  the  first  thing  they  have  to  do 
is  to  keep  their  places.  Look  for  our  collaborators 
amongst  ardent  men  of  liberal  minds,  who  have  been 
indicated  to  us,  and  do  not  trouble  about  the  rest.'  " 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHURST  63 

The  Emperor  may  have  had  an  "off"  chance  of 
returning  to  France  and  regaining  the  throne  which 
had  been  lost  to  him  partly  through  the  manoeuvres 
of  the  "■  war  party,"  partly  through  the  criminal 
neglect  and  incapacity  of  the  heads  of  the  army. 
He  received  "  serious  offers "  to  return  to  France, 
whilst  Royalist  divisions  and  intrigues,  and  the  lack 
of  unity  amongst  the  Republicans,  gave  to  the  projects 
minutely  studied  in  secret  "  chances  almost  certain  of 
success."  The  organization  for  the  Emperor's  return 
to  France  was  complete,  on  paper,  although  it  had 
been  directed  by  very  few  of  the  initiated.  The 
ordinary  heads  of  the  Bonapartist  party  appear  to 
have  been  entirely  in  the  dark  as  to  what  was 
happening  ;  the  Prince  Imperial  was  kept  ati  courant 
of  the  plottings. 

A  few  Englishmen  doubtless  knew  prett}^  well  what 
was  going  on  behind  the  scenes  at  quiet  Chislehurst. 
Mr.  Borthwick  (as  the  late  Lord  Glenesk  then  was) 
and  Lord  Sydney  (a  neighbour  of  the  exiles)  were 
probably  in  the  secret  ;  and  if  they  were  aware  of  the 
restoration  plot,  it  is  certain  that  Queen  Victoria  and 
the  then  Prince  of  Wales  did  not  lack  information. 
One  other  person  certainly  knew,  perhaps  better 
than  anybody  else,  the  details  of  the  Chislehurst 
project  for  restoring  Napoleon  III.  to  his  throne 
— that  was  the  late  Monsignor  Goddard,  who,  in 
his  clerical  capacity,  was  at  Camden  Place  every 
day. 

Thiers  had  been  defeated  in  the  Chamber,  there 
was  said  to  be  unmistakable  reaction  in  favour  of  the 
Empire,  the  giiarantees  of  support  which  came  to 
Chislehurst  were  incontestable,  the  Republic  existed 
only  in  name,  and  the  Emperor  was  expected.     "  It 


r.4  EMPrvESS  EITOF.NIE 

was  j)i-(»vtMl  to  us,"  writes  tlu-  I'-niperor's  optimistic 
follal)orator,  ''  tli;it  tin'  luajority  of  tlio  Frciuli  people 
would  tluMi  have  accepted  the  ini))erial  restoration, 
wliilst  all  Europe,  which  had  not  ceased  to  rei;ard 
Napoleon  HI.  as  the  leuitiniate  Sovereign  of  France, 
turned  its  <;a/.e  upon  him.  Hut  all  the  devotion,  all 
the  hopes,  vanished  before  the  designs  of  Providence. 
The  Kmperors  malady  liad  made  sucli  progress  tliat, 
in  view  of  the  duties.  imi)osed  upon  him  by  liis 
l)osition,  His  Majesty  did  not  hesitate  to  undergo  an 
operation  which  he  had  anticipated,  and  which  had 
become  necessary.  '  In  a  month  we  shall  be  on 
liorseback  I' — this  summarizes  the  last  confidential 
conversation  which  I  had  with  the  august  invalid  a 
few  days  before  his  death.  I  have  no  more  to  say. 
The  time  is  not  yet  come  to  unveil  the  innermost 
secrets  of  one  to  whom  I  was  sincerely  attached  in 
the  land  of  exile,  and  who  honoured  me  with  a  friend- 
ship which  I  shall  never  forget." 

"  An  enormous  name  has  passed  out  of  the  living 
world  into  history."  This  was  the  striking  opening 
sentence  of  the  leading  article  which  the  Times 
devoted  to  the  event  of  January  9,  1873.  "...  We 
may  dismiss  his  sojourn  at  Chislehurst  in  a  line  or 
two.  His  life  passed  there  uneventfully  and  in 
a})parent  tran(iuillity.  Silent,  self-reserved,  and  self- 
controlled,  he  did  not  take  the  world  into  the  secret  of 
his  regrets  or  remorse.  If  his  party  raised  their  heads 
again,  and  bragged  of  a  new  revolution  to  their  profit 
while  France  was  struggling  still  in  the  social  and 
financial  chaos  into  w^hich  they  had  cast  her,  we  have 
no  reason  to  believe  he  gave  them  encouragement. 
Disappointed  adventurers  might  talk  and  act  madly 
when  life  was  short.  But  the  Emperor  returned  to 
England,  whose  life  and  people  he  had  always  liked, 
and  lived  like  an  English  country  gentleman  whose 


THE   EMPEROR   NAPOLEON    III.    AT   CHISLEHURST. 

Tho  date  of  tliis  portrait  is  April,  1871,  a  few  weeks  after  the  Eii)i)eror's  ariival 
from  Wilhelnishohe. 


To  fare  p.  64. 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHURST  65 

shattered  health  condemns  him  to  retirement  and  the 
society  of  a  few  intimates.  There  were  attached 
friends  with  him  when  he  died,  and  if  constancy  should 
command  friends,  few  men  deserved  friends  better. 
It  was  unfortunate  for  his  reputation  that  he  was 
spared  to  live  out  his  life." 

This  generous  view  of  the  bearer  of  that  "enormous 
name,"  so  characteristic  of  the  Times  from  Delane 
down  to  its  editor  of  to-day,  does  not,  in  regard  to  the 
"  uneventful  "  nature  of  the  exile's  life  at  "  Camden," 
at  all  accord  with  Comte  de  La  Chapelle's  version  of  the 
restoration  propaganda  carried  on  at  Chislehurst  after 
the  Emperor's  return  from  captivity.  And  it  must  be 
remembered  that  the  Count  speaks  with  exceptional 
knowledge  of  all  that  passed  within  Camden  Place 
until  the  untimely  death  of  Napoleon. 

Whilst  the  Bonapartists  were  devising  plans  for  the 
restoration  of  the  Empire,  Napoleon  IIL  was  not — 
so  we  are  now  assured — altogether  forgotten  by  the 
desperadoes  whose  leaders,  Orsini  and  Pierri,  had  paid 
the  penalty  of  their  crimes  as  far  back  as  1858. 
Curious  indeed  was  it  to  see  a  London  daily  journal 
publishing  in  1908  an  account  of  the  concoction  of  the 
Orsini  plot  in  a  restaurant  "  still  to  be  found  in  Soho," 
and  asserting  that  "  the  great  international  detective 
who  subsequently  revealed  this  fact  had,  in  the  course 
of  his  career,  to  keep  a  daily  observation  upon  the 
man  whom  Orsini  failed  to  kill — Napoleon  III, — when 
he  fled  to  this  country." 

Those  who  have  personal  cognizance  of  what  hap- 
pened at  Chislehurst  prior  to  the  death  of  Napo- 
leon III.  are  lamentably  few  in  number — so  few  that 
they  may  presumably  be  counted  on  the  fingers  of 
one  hand.     This  small  knot  of  survivors  will,  I  take  it, 

5 


....  i-:Mn;Kss  KiT(jr:NiK 

read  the  statements  now  made  witli  amazement  :  "  It 
was  duriiiiX  the  KmpeiMr's  resitk'iici' at  Chish-lnirst  that 
his  enemies  kept  him  uncUn'  constant  surveillance,  the 
spies,  armed  with  tield-glasses,  occupying  a  windmill 
near  to  Camilen  House.*  All  the  movements  of  the 
I'.mperor  and  his  r/t/ouroirf  were  carefully  reported  in 
a  diarv,  and  not  the  least  curious  part  of  the  husincss 
was  that  a  facsimile  of  this  same  daily  report  was 
every  morninu-  laid  upon  the  Emperor's  desk,  the  spies 
lieing-  themselves  '  shadowed  '  and  their  reports  sur- 
re])titiously  copied." 

The  London  paper  from  which  these  details  are 
extracted  also  published  a  photographic  reproduction 
of  one  of  the  Orsini  bombs.  This  illustration  "  is 
authenticated  by  a  Belgian  nobleman,  who  says  it  is 
the  exact  reproduction  of  a  bomb  seized  at  the  lodgings 
of  the  conspirator  Orsini  after  the  outrage.  As  nearly 
as  I  can  recollect,  the  Prefect  of  Police  had  found  six 
in  the  (ippnrfement  of  this  man.  One,  it  seems,  was 
sent  to  the  Emperor,  another  to  the  Prefecture,  a 
third  to  the  Municipal  Laboratory,  and  three  were 
handed  to  the  Museum  of  Artillery.  It  is  one  of 
these  three  bombs  wdiich  I  now^  have  in  my  possession 
by  inheritance." 

The  Due  de  Bassano  and  the  Due  de  Cambaceres 
have  been  named  as  forming  the  ])rincipal  members  of 
the  imperial  household  at  Chislehurst.  They  did  not 
owe  their  titles  to  Napoleon  III.,  but  to  Napoleon  I. 
Only  five  Dukes  were  created  by  Napoleon  III. 
They  were  Malakoff,  Magenta,  Tascher  de  la  Pagerie, 
Persigny,  and  Morny.  The  first  dukedom,  conferred 
on  Marshal  Pelissier,  of  Crimean  celebrit}'-,  has  been 

*  A  misprint,  common  enough,  for  Camden  Place,  The  "  wind- 
mill "  is  somewhat  of  a  puzzle. 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHURST  67 

long  extinct,  as  the  Marshal  left  no  male  issue.  A 
similar  fate  has  befallen  the  ducal  title  of  Persigny, 
the  second  Duke  having  died  a  quarter  of  a  century 
ago.  Persigny  had  the  misfortune  to  marry  the 
daughter  of  the  eccentric  Princesse  de  la  Moskowa, 
who  got  her  husband  into  hot  water  on  more  than  one 
occasion.  When  Persigny  was  appointed  by  Napo- 
leon in.  Ambassador  at  our  Court,  Lord  Palmerston 
let  it  be  known  at  the  Tuileries  that  it  would  be 
politic  for  the  Marshal-Duke  to  leave  his  wife  behind 
him,  as  reports  of  her  eccentricities  had  already 
reached  London.  But  it  was  not  to  be,  and  the 
unpleasant  necessity  of  receiving  the  fiery -tempered 
Ambassadress  was  forced  upon  Queen  Victoria,  who 
had  also  heard  disquieting  accounts  of  the  lady. 

Before  they  had  been  long  at  Albert  Gate,  the  Per- 
signys  gave  a  grand  ball,  and,  as  the  Queen  had 
promised  to  be  j^resent,  the  Duchess  provided  herself 
with  a  costume  calculated  to  make  a  sensation  in 
English  society.  Unfortunately,  the  dressmaker  had 
let  out  the  secret  of  this  marvellous  robe,  and  when 
the  Queen  arrived,  Mme.  de  Persigny,  to  her  rage  and 
mortification,  saw  that  a  lady  in  the  royal  suite  was 
wearing  a  dress  which  was  the  exact  counterpart  of 
her  own.  Unable  to  restrain  her  fury,  the  Ambassa- 
dress approached  the  lady,  and,  in  the  Sovereign's 
presence,  literally  smacked  her  face.  Shocked  beyond 
expression  at  the  outrage,  the  Queen  left  the  Embassy 
immediately,  and  what  had  promised  to  be  the  most 
brilliant  entertainment  of  the  season  came  to  an 
untimely  end.  But  the  scandal  did  not  end  here. 
Lord  Palmerston  informed  the  French  Foreign  Office 
that  both  the  Sovereign  and  the  nation  had  been 
grossly    insulted,    and    very    shortly    afterwards   the 

5—2 


Anil>MSs:ul(>f.  oil  (he  |tK';i  of  illiU'NS,  i-ctii'cd  i'l'oiu  liis 
post  \vitln)ut  oven  ri'ijuostiiiii-  an  aiKliciico  of  tlic  (^)iU'on 
for  tlio  |uir])oso  ol'  pri'sentiiii;'  liis  Icttci'  of  recall. 
Porsiunv  had  Uvcn  one  of  tlic  most  dctonnined  oppo- 
nents oi  the  l^nip(M'or's  luarriaiic,  and  perlia])S  the 
Kmpre.ss  was  not  uinhiK  cast  (h)\vii  wlien  slie  learnt 
of  wliat  had  liajijUMied  at  All)ert  (Jate.  After  her 
luishand's  (katli  the  Dncliesse  married  a  M.  Lc  Moync, 
and  apiin  hecame  a  widow.  It  is  related  of  her  that 
slie  allowi'd  her  daughter  to  he  prosecuted  for  aiding 
and  ahetting  a  felony,  rather  than  pay  a  few  thousand 
francs  to  stop  the  legal  proceedings.  No  wonder 
Paris  society  gave  the  cold  shoulder  to  the  termagant 
daughter  of  the  Princesse  de  la  Moskowa. 

The  Due  de  Magenta,  who  died  in  1894,  was  best 
known  to  the  world  at  large  as  Marshal  MacMahon, 
the  successor  of  M.  Thiers  in  the  Presidency.  He 
married  Mile,  de  Castries,  sister  of  the  Due  de 
Castries,  who  for  many  years  was  a  prominent  Hgure 
in  the  world  of  sport.  Their  two  sons  entered  the 
army,  and  their  only  daughter  is  the  widowed 
Comtesse  de  Piennes,  whose  husband  had  been  a 
Chamberlain  of  Napoleon  III. 

Probably  the  best-remembered  of  Napoleon  III.'s 
quintet  of  Dukes  of  his  creation  is  he  who  has  been 
the  longest  dead — De  Morny,  the  Emperor's  natural 
brother.  He  was  the  illegitimate  son  of  the  ex-Queen 
Hortense  (mother  of  Napoleon  HI.)  and  General 
Comte  de  Flahault  de  la  Billarderie.  De  Morny  in- 
terests us  because  his  father,  Flahault,  was  Louis 
Philippe's  Ambassador  to  England  from  1842  until 
1848,  and  married,  in  1817,  the  daughter  of  Admiral 
Viscount  Keith,  who  became  in  her  own  right  Baroness 
Keith  and  Nairne,  and  died  in  180 7.     Her  daughter 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHTSLEHURST  69 

Emily  married,  as  his  second  wife,  the  fourth  Marquis 
of  Lansdowne,  and  became  the  mother  of  the  present 
Marquis,  of  Lord  Fitzmaurice,  and  of  Lady  Emily 
Digby.  The  Due  de  Morny,  father  of  the  present 
bearer  of  the  title,  was,  like  his  imperial  half-brother, 
gakmt  homme^  and  boasted  a  large  acquaintance  with 
ladies  of  all  ranks,  most  of  whom  have  died  since  the 
imperial  family  found  shelter  in  this  country.  For- 
tune did  not  deal  too  kindly  with  some  of  them.  If 
we  are  to  credit  a  trustworthy  annalist,  as  recently 
as  1892  one  of  them,  who  had  formerly  enjoyed  the 
handsome  "  pension"  of  £1,200  a  month,  might  have 
been  seen  hawking  fish  in  the  back-streets  of  Paris. 

In  the  year  1888  there  passed  away  a  ver}^  popular 
member  of  the  imperial  circle  in  the  person  of  Mr. 
OllifFe,  son  of  the  creator,  in  conjunction  with  the 
Due  de  Morny,  of  Deauville.  His  father,  the  well- 
known  Sir  Joseph  OllifFe,  was  physician  to  H.B.M. 
Embassy  in  Paris,  and  also  to  the  Due,  when  the 
star  of  Bonapartism  shone  most  brightly.  Probably, 
wrote  a  popular  chromqneur ^  had  not  blue  pills  and 
Turkish  baths  carried  off  the  Emperor's  half-brother, 
Trouville  would  have  hidden  its  diminished  head, 
and  Deauville  would  have  reigned  in  its  stead. 
De  Morny's  death  was  a  great  blow  to  Napoleon  III. 
and  the  Empress  Eugenie.  His  illness  had  not  caused 
any  alarm.  The  Duchesse  had  gone  to  a  fancy-ball, 
and  returned  home  to  find  her  husband  dying.  Mme. 
la  Duchesse  was  long  inconsolable,  but  ultimately  she 
married  the  Due  de  Sesto,*  cousin  of  the  Empress 
Eugenie. 

The  daughter  of  the  late  and  sister  of  the  present 
Due  de  Morny  figured  extensively  and  discreditably 
*  He  died  early  in  1910  ;  the  Duchesse  in  1896. 


7(»  KMIMU^SS  KrnF.NTK 

in  tlu'  jounuiU  in  l'.>ll7.  Slu*  marrird  I  lie  .Mar(|uis 
tit'  Bt'li)ti'iir,  til)taiiu'il  a  tlivort-t'  Ironi  liim,  aiitl  lias 
ri'taiiu'tl  luT  maitli'ii  iiaiuc  In  t\\r  .)amiar\  of  I1M)7, 
Mllf.  (t)!-  MiiK'.)  tic  Mtiniv  aiul  Mint-.  (\)lc'lt('  Willv, 
wifi'  t>r  tilt'  well-known  aiitlit)r  of  ''  ('laiulinc  a 
TEiMilt.',  '  had  till'  laiitastic  idea  of  a|))»('arini;-  at  that 
(lelt'C'talilo  t'stahlislmu'iit,  tlic  Mt)Mliii  Itt)Ui;i',  in  a 
ItanttunijiR'  written  l)y  Mnu".  dc*  Mt)riiv.  'i'lic  piece 
was  lalletl  *'  Le  Keve  d'E<4V})te,"  and  in  it  the  old 
1  hies  fair  tlanghter  a})))eared  as  a  nuinimy,  whom  a 
magician  (Mme.  Colette  Willy)  recalled  to  life,  with 
the  result  that  the  mummy  fell  in  love  with  her  re- 
creator.  It  was  a  charming  piece,  as  will  be  gathered 
from  this  hrief  description  of  it.  It  was  said  of  this 
surprising  production  that  it  "  shocked  the  suscepti- 
bilities of  the  audience,  more  especially  as  it  dealt 
lightly  with  a  certain  class  of  immorality."  That  was 
an  English  critic's  opinion  of  it.  A  Moulin  Rouge 
audience  is  not  the  most  fastidious  in  the  world,  ))ut  it 
would  not  have  "  The  Egyptian  Dream,"  or  Mme.  de 
Morny  (although  she  is  the  niece  of  Napoleon  III.,  and 
may  address  the  Empress  Eugenie  as  aunt),  or  Mme. 
Colette  Willy,  at  any  price.  A  storm  broke  out, 
and — but,  really,  what  happened  is  indescribable. 
The  manifestation  against  the  ladies  was  highly 
approved  by  the  Press  as  being  "  a  righteous  protest 
against  the  belief  that  Paris  will  stand  anything." 

The  Napoleonic  legend  has  not  received  much 
respect  at  the  hands  of  either  the  daughter  or  the 
son  of  the  Emperor's  half-brother.  Many  years  ago 
the  present  Due  made  himself  ridiculous  l)y  dancing 
a  pas  seul  from  the  ballet  of  "Excelsior"  in  short 
gauze  skirts,  which  he  managed  with  the  skill  of  a 
premiere  danseuse.      He  was  much  blamed,  too,  for 


LASr  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHUKST  71 

his  conduct  towards  the  actress  Mile.  Feyghine  (she 
committed  suicide),  daughter  of  a  retired  Colonel  in 
the  Russian  Army,  who  resided  at  Moscow.  The  Due 
inherited  the  vast  wealth  which  his  father  had  acquired 
in  a  variety  of  ways,  including  that  shady  finance 
which  was  rampant  in  the  halcyon  days  of  the  Second 
Empire.  Of  De  Morny  pere,  when  he  was  Comte,  it 
is  related  tliat,  calling  on  one  of  the  Rothschilds,  he 
was  received  by  the  celebrated  financier  in  a  rather 
ofFhand  way.  "  Monsieur,"  said  he,  upon  being  re- 
quested to  take  a  chair,  "  do  you  know  who  I  am  ? 
I  am  the  Comte  de  Morny."  "  Monsieur  le  Comte 
de  Morny  !"  exclaimed  the  scion  of  the  Rothschilds, 
in  his  most  impressive  manner  ;  "  then,  pray  have  the 
goodness  to  take  two  chairs." 

If  the  handwriting  of  Napoleon  III.  was  no  better 
when  he  was  busily  occupied  in  literary  work  than  it 
was  in  1870  and  the  two  following  years — it  could  not 
have  been  worse — his  "  copy  "  must  have  caused  the 
compositors  to  bla.spheme.  What  the  "  proofs  "  were 
like,  only  the  author  and  his  foster-sister,  Mme.  Cornu, 
knew.  The  caligraphy  of  Napoleon  I.  was  even 
inferior  to  that  of  his  nephew.  "  His  passionate 
vehemence  and  impenetrable  dissimulation  both,"  says 
Masson,  "  stand  revealed  in  the  manner  in  which  he 
wielded  his  pen  ;"  while  the  late  J.  F.  Nisbet  com- 
mented on  "  the  furious  illegibility  "  of  Bonaparte's 
manuscript  and  "  the  apparently  unconscious  leaps 
and  bounds  of  the  imperial  pen,"  which  convinced  the 
celebrated  graphologist,  Michon,  "  that  Napoleon  I. 
possessed  the  insane  temperament."  But  the  worst 
enemies  of  Napoleon  III.  never  attributed  any  of  his 
acts  and  deeds  to  mental  derangement. 

Concurrently  with  the  arrival   of  the  exiles  there 


72  EMPr.KSS  EUCP.NIK 

sprniiii"  iij)  ;i  coiU  ijiiious  :iih1  cn  ri--L:ro\\  iuLi,'  (IcmiiiHl  Tor 
violets.  It  is  iumt  t«)(>  \:\\v  to  IcMni,  and  iiKjiiirics  in 
many  (|U;»rt('rs  tauulit  inc  that  lliis  was  the  (loral 
synil)(»l  of  tlic  lloiisr  «>r  li(>naj)art('.  As,  lioweviT,  no 
one  knew  tlic  miuin  of  the  (MHl)k'iu,  I  |iiirsiUHl  my 
investiiiiition  ;  and,  at  llic  risk  of  IjccominLi,-  tcdions, 
I  will  explain,  i'or  the  henelit  of  the  ciirious  in  these 
and  kin<lred  matters,  precisely  how  the  violet  came 
to  be  the  imperial  flower. 

Three  days  l)efore  Na})oleon  I.  embarked  for  Elba, 
the  exile,  accompanied  by  the  Due  de  Bassano  (grand- 
fatlier  of  the  bearer  of  tlie  title  who  died  in  190G,  and 
father  of  the  veteran  Due  whom  we  knew  at  Chisle- 
hurst  and  Farnborough  Hill)  and  General  l^ertrand, 
was  strolling  through  the  gardens  at  Fontainebleau. 
Napoleon  was  still  undecided  w^hether  he  would  quietly 
resign  himself  to  his  banishment.  The  Due  de 
Bassano  gently  indicated  that  the  time  for  withdrawal 
was  past.  Napoleon,  much  excited,  walked  on  with- 
out speaking,  endeavouring  to  divert  his  thoughts 
from  the  subject.  Close  to  him  was  a  child  picking 
violets  and  tying  them  in  a  bunch.  "  My  little  friend," 
said  Bonaparte,  "  will  you  give  me  your  flowers  ?" 
"  Gladly,"  said  the  boy,  and  handed  them  gracefully 
to  the  Emperor,  who  kissed  the  little  giver,  and,  after 
a  few  minutes,  remarked :  "  The  accident  of  this 
occurrence  is  a  secret  hint  to  me  to  follow  the  example 
of  these  modest  flow^ers.  Yes,  gentlemen,  henceforth 
the  violet  shall  be  the  emblem  of  my  wishes." 

"  Sire,"  replied  Bertrand,  "  I  hope  for  your  Majesty's 
glory  that  this  resolution  will  not  last  longer  than  the 
flower  from  whicii  it  takes  its  origin."  The  next  day 
Napoleon  was  seen  walking  about  the  gardens  with  a 
bunch  of  violets,  which  he  carried  alternately  in  his 


LAST  DAYS  AT  CHISLEHURST  73 

hand  and  his  month.  Stopping  at  one  of  the  beds, 
he  stooped  to  pick  some  flowers.  The  violets  were 
rather  scarce  at  that  spot,  and  tlie  grenadier  Chondien, 
who  was  on  guard,  said  to  the  Emperor :  "  Sire,  in  a 
year's  time  it  w^ill  be  easier  to  pick  them  ;  they  wdil 
be  more  plentiful  then."  Bonaparte,  astonished, 
looked  at  him  :  "  You  think,  then,  that  next  year  1 
shall  be  back  ?"  "  Perhaps  sooner— at  least  we  hope 
so."  "  Soldier !  do  you  not  knoAV  that  after  to- 
morrow I  start  for  Elba  ?"  "  Your  Majesty  will  wait 
till  the  clouds  pass."  "  Do  your  comrades  think  like 
you  ?"  "  Almost  all."  "  They  may  think  it,  but  they 
may  not  say  it.  After  you  are  relieved,  go  to 
Bertrand,  and  let  him  give  you  twenty  gold  Napoleons  ; 
but  keep  silence." 

Choudieu  returned  to  the  barracks,  and  told  his 
comrades  that  for  the  last  two  days  the  Emperor  had 
been  walking  about  with  a  bunch  of  violets.  "  We 
will  call  him  amongst  ourselves  '  Pere  la  Violette.'  " 
And  that  is  how  they  called  him  in  the  barracks.  By 
degrees  the  public  came  to  hear  of  it,  and  in  the 
spring  the  adherents  of  the  ex-Emperor  wore  the 
flower  as  a  memorial. 


CIIAITKU   IV 

11  IK  i:i:al  c:ausk  or  tiik  EMrEuoii's  dkath 

(  )n  .laiHiarv  i),  1873,  Napoleon  III.  died  at  Chisleliurst, 

to  tlio  dismay  and  bewilderment  of  the  little  Court  at 

Canuk'n  Place  and  of  bis  numerous  friends  in  France 

and  England.     It  was  sbortly  before  Christmas  that 

the  im})erial  household  liad  begun  to  vaguely  realize 

that  the  Emperor  was  seriously  ill.     He  himself  had 

no  idea  of  his  approar-hing  end.     It  is  true  that  he 

somewhat  dreaded  the  iierformance  of  the  operation 

wliich    had   been  decided  upon,  but  only  a  few  days 

before    his    death    he   had   written  to  his  friend   and 

literary  collaborator,  the  Comte  de  La  Cha])elle  :   "  In 

a  month's  time  I  shall  be  in  the  saddle  again."     And 

Dr.    Baron    Corvisart   wrote    five    days    before    the 

Emperor's  death  in  these  terms  : 

"Camden  Place, 

Januiiry  4,  1873,  8^j.?/i. 

My  dear  Count, 

I  send  you,  with  great  pleasure,  news  of  His 
Majesty.  As  you  know,  the  operation  of  crushing 
goes  on  successfully.  To-day  the  Emperor  dined. 
He  has  no  fever.  All  is  going  on  as  well  as  we  could 
wish,  and  you  Avould  read  that  upon  our  faces  could 
you  see  them.  I  hope  that  each  seance  will  pass  off 
as  well,  and  that  it  will  not  be  necessary  U)  have  many 
more.  The  Emperor  wishes  you  to  hear  this  good 
news,  and  directed  me  to  write  to  you. 

Baron  Corvisart." 

74 


REAL  CAUSE  OF  THE  EMPEROR'S  DEATH  75 

The  trains  going  to  and  from  Cliislehurst  carried, 
amongst  others,  Sir  Henry  Thompson  and  Sir  William 
Gull — the  first  a  keen-visaged,  hawk-eyed  man,  with 
a  face  strongly  suggestive  of  a  French  cavalry  officer  ; 
the  second  rather  heavy  of  countenance,  thoughtful, 
solemn.  It  was  the  latter  of  whom  the  Duke  of  Cam- 
bridge writes  in  his  Diary  (December  15, 1S7 1),  <)  propos 
of  the  illness  of  the  then  Prince  of  Wales  :  "  Gull  has 
been  an  angel  in  this  dreadful  trial,  and  deserves 
the  blessings  of  the  nation."  The  first  days  of 
January,  1873,  despite  Baron  Corvisart's  optimism, 
proved  full  of  anxiety  for  all  at  Camden  Place.  We 
can  picture  the  last  scene  :  Caesar,  dull-eyed,  his  face 
furrowed  by  acute  pain,  is  stretched  on  his  simj^le 
bed.  Around  him,  or  in  the  next  room,  stand  Sir 
William  Gull,  Baron  Corvisart,  Dr.  Conneau,  and  Sir 
Henry  Thompson,  looking  keener- eyed  than  ever,  for 
the  critical  moment  is  at  hand.  The  clock  points  to 
9.45  a.m.  The  Emperor  seems  better.  The  doctors, 
after  consultation,  have  resolved  to  operate  at  noon. 
The  pulse  is  "  84,  strong  and  regular  ";  and  Clover  is 
there,  ready,  when  the  time  comes,  to  administer  the 
chloroform.  It  is  10.25.  Signs  of  sinking  suddenly 
betray  themselves.  The  heart's  action  fails ;  the 
clock  chimes  the  quarters  (10.45)  ;  Napoleon  III.  is 
common  clay ! 

The  Comte  de  La  Chapelle  asserts  that : 

"  The  Emperor  did  not  die  of  the  operation 
performed  by  Sir  Henry  Thompson.  That  operation, 
which  had  necessitated  several  seances,  had  been 
completely  successful.  The  state  of  the  august 
invalid — the  official  bulletins  show  it — was  satisfac- 
tory, and  Baron  Corvisart's  letter  is  a  conclusive  proof 
of  my  assertion.     Sir  Henry  Thompson  had  completely 


7C.  KMPKKSS  Krr.F.NlE 

siK'ceeiU'tl  oil  two  other  occnsioiis,  and  .l:miiar\  '.•  was 
tixt'il  for  till'  last  operation.  '1\>  li'ssiii  tlic  iMiiitcror's 
suHeriniiS  and  assure  liiui  slee|>  Sir  William  (Jiill  had 
prt'serilu'd  some  doses  ol'  chhu'al,  to  Ix-  laUeii  in  the 
eveniiiii  ;  hut,  auiuuited  jierhaps  hy  a  preseutiment, 
tlie  Kmj)eror  ohstiuatelv  refused  to  take  it,  savini;'  ho 
was  not  in  j)ain,  that  tlie  cliloral  liad  opjtressed  iiim 
the  previous  nii;iit,  tliat  he  did  not  mind  the  jtain  il  it 
returiu'd,  as  lie  was  accustomed  to  it,  and  that,  any 
wav.  he  had  made  up  his  mind  not  to  take  tlie 
chK)ral.  To  overcome  the  Emperor's  obstinacy,  tlie 
Empress  was  sent  for,  and  at  lier  earnest  recjuest 
the  Emperor,  after  much  liesitation,  consented  to  take 
the  fatal  dose  which  was  to  have  secured  liim  a  night's 
sleej).  .  .  .  AVlien  he  had  drunk  it  the  Emperor  slept 
profoundly.  It  was  9  p.m.  He  slept,  to  awake  again 
only  for  a  few  seconds  the  next  morning,  at  ten 
o'clock,  when  he  uttered  two  or  three  words  and 
expired." 

Comte  de  La  Chapelle  thus  continues  his  extra- 
ordinary story  : 

"  I  arrived  at  Camden  Place,  and,  in  the  disorder 
which  first  ])revailed  as  the  result  of  a  (l^mniemcnt  as 
tragic  as  unexpected,  I  was  a  witness  of  the  lively 
recriminations  which  took  place  between  the  surgeon, 
Sir  Henry  Thompson,  and  the  doctor,  Sir  William 
Gull,  and  thus  it  was  that  I  learnt  for  certain  the  real 
cause  of  the  Emperor's  death.  A  little  later  I  found 
myself  in  the  middle  of  a  group  of  weeping  friends 
who  had  arrived  in  haste  at  Camden  Place.  They 
asked  Dr.  Conneau  what  could  have  caused  the 
Emperor's  death  at  the  very  moment  w^hen  his 
recovery  was  regarded  as  certain.  Dr.  Conneau 
sobbingly  replied  that  it  was  impossible  for  the 
moment  to  say  precisely  what  had  caused  the  Em- 
peror to  die  so  suddenly.  I  made  known  w^hat  I  had 
heard,  and  I  explicitly  stated  that  the  Emperor  had 
been  poisoned  by  inadvertence.     It  would  be  difhcult 


REAL  CAUSE  OF  THE  EMPEROR'S  DEATH  11 

to  express  the  profound  sensation  produced  by  my 
words.  I  was,  so  to  speak,  dragged  into  some  private 
rooms,  and,  after  my  detailed  account  of  what  I  had 
learnt  by  chance,  a  person  in  authority  begged  me  to 
preserve  silence  about  a  fact  as  painful  as  it  was 
irremediable.  However,  some  time  afterwards  there 
was  a  lively  discussion  in  the  London  medical  papers, 
and  the  facts  which  I  have  related  were  enunciated, 
but  not  affirmed,  and  the  result  of  the  autopsy, 
cleverly  drawn  up  as  it  was  to  safeguard  those  re- 
sponsible, put  an  end  to  further  controversy,  without 
solving  the  question.  It  was  said  that  the  operation 
of  lithotrity  had  been  cleverly  performed  by  Sir  Henry 
Thompson,  and  that  the  operation  had  not  caused 
death." 

A  telegram  in  the  early  editions  of  the  evening 
papers  was  the  first  intimation  I  had  of  the  Emperor's 
death.  I  immediately  left  the  Temple  for  Chisle- 
hurst.  My  card,  and  perhaps  a  little  inherent 
audacity,  procured  me  admission  to  the  house,  where 
the  air  seemed  already  impregnated  with  the  in- 
describable odour  of  death.  The  servants  were 
moving  hurriedl}^  about,  and  there  was  that  general 
air  of  confusion  which  is  always  the  accompaniment 
of  such  scenes.  I  was  a  little  bewildered  at  first  at 
finding  myself  in  the  bustle,  not  knowing  a  soul  to 
speak  to.  I  speedily  recovered  my  calm,  for  I  felt 
that  I  was  there,  not  as  an  idler,  but  in  the  position  of 
one  charged  with  the  duty  of  placing  before  the 
readers  of  the  Morning  Post  as  complete  a  narrative 
of  the  Chislehurst  drama  as  I  could  possibly  contrive 
to  put  on  paper  before  midnight. 

A  chill  ran  down  my  spine  as  I  reflected  that  my 
mission  might  possibly  be  an  ignominious  failure.  I 
knew,  moreover,  that  nothing  but  cold  facts  would 
meet  with  my  editor's  favour.     Again,  that  editor  was 


78  EMPRKS;:^  KITlRNIK 

an  intiniatt'  friend  of  the  KnijUTor  ami  I''m|»n'ss,  and 
\\v  was  not  tlu'  man  ti)  |)ass  a  sini;li'  word  (•t)n(('rnini;- 
wliicli  I  conld  not  liavc  made  a  statutory  declaration 
that  it  wa<  aicuratc  ami  undeniable.  Well  ...  a  tall 
servant  lanu-  to  sav  that  M.  Pii'tri  would  see  uie.  My 
ine.\})erienee  caused  nie  to  think  tliat  this  was  rather  a 
L:(>od  sio:n,  and  I  followed  the  i;iant  servitor  into  a 
room  (lose  hv.  I  confronted  M.  I'ietri.  lie  seemed 
l)«»th  astonished  and  jjained  that  I  was  desirous  of 
hearing  something  authentic  about  the  great  event 
wliich  had  occurred  in  the  morning.  He  surveyed  me 
with  a  bland  look  of  pity,  and  1  felt  that  he  considered 
me  a  very  impertinent  young  man  to  intrude  upon 
him  at  such  a  moment.     He  was  as  mute  as  a  carp. 

What  I  learnt  from  the  Emperor's  secretary  was 
that  Na])oleon  HI.  was  dead  ;  he  had  no  other  infor- 
mation to  ifive  me.  I  left  the  room  and  went  into  the 
hall,  reflecting  that,  if  the  English  medical  men  were 
in  the  house,  I  might  fare  better  than  I  had  fared 
with  M.  Pietri.  I  was  told  that  Sir  Henry  Thompson 
was  in  a  certain  room,  and  1  proceeded  thither,  full  of 
blind  confidence.  Sir  Henry  appeared  thunderstruck 
at  my  request  for  information.  "  Information  I  For 
whom  ?"'  "  For  my  paper  flrst,  and  so  for  all  the 
world,  for  everybody  is  waitins:  to  hear  how  His 
Majesty  died."  "  I  may  tell  the  story  myself  some 
day,"  he  said  dr^dy  ;  and  the  interview  closed. 

Nonplussed,  but  not  yet  abandoning  all  ho])e,  I 
lingered  in  the  hall,  no  one  taking  the  slightest  notice 
of  my  pre.sence.  A  stately-looking,  venerable  man 
was,  like  myself  and  others,  wandering  rather  aim- 
lessly about,  and,  learning  that  he  was  the  Due  de 
Bassano,  I  addressed  myself  to  him  with  fair  results. 
He  was  all  sym])athy  and  graciousness,  and,  although 


REAL  CAUSE  OF  THE  EMPEROR'S  DEATH  79 

overwhelmed  by  the  catastrophe,  told  me  to  come 
down  on  the  following  day,  when  I  should  see  the 
illustrious  dead. 

The  story  of  the  Emperor's  malady  as  narrated  by 
Professor  Germain  See  is  so  remarkable  that  I  append 
a  verbatim  translation  of  it : 

"  I  had  never  had  the  honour  of  attending  the  Em- 
peror when,  on  June  20,  1870  [less  than  a  month 
before  the  declaration  of  war],  I  was  commanded  to 
the  Palace  of  St.  Cloud.  The  carriage  of  the  Prefet 
of  Police,  M.  Pietri  [nephew  of  the  gentleman  who  was 
the  Emperor's  secretary,  and  in  1910  is  still  secretary 
of  the  Empress  Eugenie],  waited  at  the  door  for  me. 
At  the  Palace  the  Emperor  received  me  in  an  immense 
room,  which  was  open  to  all  the  winds  of  heaven,  and 
gave  one  a  vague  idea  of  the  Place  de  la  Concorde  in 
winter.  The  room  was  bitterly  cold.  Napoleon  III. 
was  enveloped  in  blankets.  With  the  exception  of  the 
Empress  and  Dr.  Corvisart  no  one  knew  of  my  pres- 
ence at  St.  Cloud.  For  prudential  reasons  it  was 
given  out  that  I  was  considering  the  wisdom  of  send- 
ing the  Emperor  to  one  of  the  health-resorts. 

After  a  few  words  the  Emperor  lent  himself 
willingly  to  my  examination,  which  lasted  an  hour.  It 
had  been  said  that  the  Sovereign  was  afflicted  with 
diabetes,  that  he  was  suffering  from  heart  disease,  and 
so  on.  But  I  saw  immediately  that  this  was  not  true. 
Moreover,  I  understood  at  once  whither  to  direct  my 
diagnosis.  I  asked  the  Emperor  to  tell  me  the  history 
of  his  life  since  1864,  adding  :  '  Were  you  not  very 
ill  that  year  ?'  He  looked  surprisedly  at  me,  dis- 
missed Dr.  Corvisart,  and  then  communicated  to  me 
the  following  facts. 

The  Emperor  said  :  '  You  are  right.  It  really  is 
since  1864  that  I  have  suffered.  Do  you  remember 
the  accident  which  happened  to  us  at  Neuchatel  ? 
We  were  going — the  Empress,  myself,  Princesse  Anna 
Murat,  and  Mme.  Carette — to  visit  the  grave  of  my 


80  kmim;i:ss  KrcRxiE 

tiiotluT,  wlu'ii.  till'  horses  iimiiiiii;-  away,  wo  wore 
thrown  from  tin-  carriaur  and  all  of  us  injurcil.  Have 
you  any  rtH'olKHti(»ii  oi"  it  !"  '  Yes,  Sire  ;  all  the  more 
so  as,  htiuLC  tlu'  nuMlical  attendant  of  the  Princes 
Murat,  I  was  called  in  to  attend  Princesse  Anna.  Her 
Hii^hness  had  two  fractures  of  the  upper  jaw,  and  the 
nerve  of  the  face  was  paralyzed.'  '  That's  rif::ht.  At 
that  time  1  was  very  ill,  and  when  the  jjuhlic  helieved 
nic  to  he  really  at  the  hedside  of  the  Empress,  I  was 
really  in  bed  niyscdf,  and  it  is  from  that  ])eri()d  that 
my  tirst  haemorrhage  dates.'  '  flow  uiany,  Sire, 
have  you  had  ?'  '  Four.'  '  Doubtless,  Nelaton  and 
Ricord  have  been  put  du  couraut  of  these  details  ?' 
'  1  have  said  nothina:  about  it  to  anvbodv,'  answered 
the  Emperor. 

And  it  was  true.  Not  only  had  the  Emperor  no 
lonirer  much  confidence  in  Nelaton,  but  he,  moreover, 
distrusted  him  for  (juite  a  personal  reason  which  I 
cannot  reveal.  He  preferred  to  keep  to  himself  the 
details  wliicli  he  had  given  me,  and  which  showed  the 
situation  under  quite  a  new"  light.  1  had  made  up  my 
mind.  1  did  not,  however,  make  my  opinion  known 
to  the  Emperor,  but  I  told  him  that  a  consultation  was 
necessary.  '  I  believe  you  understand  me  thoroughly, 
and  I  have  full  confidence  in  you,'  he  remarked  ;  '  so 
arrange  for  a  consultation  with  the  other  doctors.' 
Tpon  this  I  immediately  wrote  to  Nelaton  and  Ricord, 
and  to  the  Emperor's  tw^o  medical  attendants,  Corvisart 
and  Fauvel.  Dr.  Conneau  was  to  attend  the  con- 
sultation, but  only  in  the  character  of  a  witness 
of  the  proceedings.  [Corvisart  and  Conneau  re- 
mained the  Emperor's  medical  attendants  until  his 
death.] 

We  met  at  Dr.  Conneau's  residence  at  8  a.m.  on 
July  1.  I  had  thought  that  the  consultation  would 
not  last  more  than  half  an  hour,  but,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  it  occupied  three  hours.  I  began  the  proceed- 
ings in  the  following  words  :  '  Gentlemen,  I  am  the 
youngest,  and  I  therefore  require  you  to  listen  to  me 
first.    I  shall  not  say  much.    The  Emperor  is  suflfering 


REAL  CAUSE  OF  THE  EMPEROE'S  DEATH  81 

from  stone.'  Thev  all  exclaimed  aQ:ainst  this  view. 
Corvisart  said  it  was  a  cold  ;  Fauvel,  an  abscess.  I 
maintained  that  I  was  right,  and  I  proceeded  to  prove 
it.  I  then  described  all  the  Emperor's  symptoms,  the 
pains  which  he  suffered  both  when  riding  and  driving  ; 
in  short,  I  fully  explained  all  that  I  had  discovered 
when  I  had  examined  His  Majesty  on  June  20,  and  I 
woundiup  as  I  had  begun  :  '  The  Emperor  has  stone, 
and  nothing  else.' 

When  I  had  finished,  Dr.  Fauvel  withdrew  what 
he  had  said  as  to  the  abscess,  and  Corvisart  his  de- 
claration respecting  the  cold.  All  were  unanimous 
in  expressing  the  opinion  that  I  was  right.  Only  one 
thing  remained  to  be  done — to  again  examine  the 
Emperor  with  a  view  to  operating.  But  Nelaton  would 
not  hear  of  that.  '  It  is  absolutely  necessary,'  I 
insisted,  '  and  to  operate  immediately.'  Ricord  up- 
held my  opinion,  but  Fauvel  and  Corvisart  were  of 
Nelaton's  opinion.  '  You  understand,'  said  they, 
'  that  we  cannot  treat  the  Emperor  as  we  should  treat 
an  ordinary  patient.'  Nelaton  drew  me  aside  and 
said  :  '  How  you  run  on,  my  dear  fellow  !  Remember 
what  a  great  responsibility  we  are  taking  upon  our- 
selves.' '  It's  all  one  to  me.  The  operation  ought 
to  have  been  performed  six  months  ago.  The  patient 
is  seriously  threatened.  There  is  only  one  thing  to 
do,  and  that  must  be  done  at  the  earliest  possible 
moment.'  Ricord  remarked  :  '  It  must  be  done  to- 
morrow. Any  way,  it  must  not  be  delayed  beyond 
the  day  after  to-morrow.' 

Then  the  discussion  recommenced.  Unfortunately, 
it  came  to  a  question  of  voting.  Only  Ricord  and  I 
considered  the  operation  an  urgent  matter.  The  three 
others  asked  for  time  to  pronounce  an  opinion.  '  Let 
the  summer  pass,'  said  Nelaton  ;  '  in  September  we 
will  see  about  it'  [By  September  the  Emperor  was 
a  prisoner  at  Wilhelmshohe,  and  the  Empress  and  the 
Prince  Imperial  were  in  England.]  In  vain  I  suppli- 
cated ;  vainly  I  insisted  on  the  Emperor's  courage  in 
bearing  pain  ;  nothing  I  said  was  of  any  use  ;  there 

6 


82  KMPT^ESS  EUC.fAME 

were  tlircc  to  twtt.  Tlu' cNinuinatioii  of  I  lie  Kni]HTor, 
:\m\  t'onst'(|iu'ntlv  the  ojn'nition,  were  jtost jtoiu'd.  1  was 
I'liarnt'il  witli  tlu'  duty  of  drawinii  up  tlu'  result  of  tlie 
I'onsultatiou,  and  it  was  a^ivod  tliat  on  tlie  next  day 
l)Ut  one,  at  tlu'  latest,  it  should  be  ])la('('d  in  tlic  liands 
of  Dr.  (\)nneau,  who  was  to  net  the  signatures  of  all 
the  doctors  alHxed  to  it,  and  then  to  communicate  its 
contents  to  the  Km]>eror  and  Empress. 

C)n  duly  o  Dr.  Conneau  had  the  document,  which 
W.1S  written  throuuhout  ))y  me  on  four  paa:es  of  English 
note-])ap('r.  Thi'  siiiiiatures  of  Nelaton,  Kicord,  Corvi- 
sart,  and  Fauvel  were  never  obtained,  and  it  was  only 
on  Se])tember  4  [the  date  of  the  proclamation  of  the 
Republic  and  tlie  tiiii'lit  of  the  Empress]  that  I  learnt 
that  fact.  And  do  you  know  my  informant  ?  None 
other  than  M.  Hendi^,  secretary  to  Jules  Favre,  and 
later  Prt^fet  of  Rouen,  whom  the  Minister  had  sent 
to  me  to  ask  what  the  document  meant.  Everything 
was  then  explained.  But  how  unfortunate  it  was  that 
Dr.  Conneau  did  not  at  least  tell  the  Empress  about 
it  I  It  was  just  a  year  later  that  the  Emperor  [then 
at  Chislehurst]  knew  all  these  facts — that  is  to  say,  a 
full  year  too  late." 

Such  is  the  medical  history  of  the  case  as  narrated 
by  Dr.  Germain  See. 

After  the  death  of  Napoleon  III.  L' Union  Medicale 
reproduced  M.  Germain  See's  statement,  with  the 
following  pertinent  observations  : 

"  Is  it  not  infinitely  probable  that,  if  the  result  of 
this  consultation  had  been  communicated  to  the 
Empress,  an  examination  of  the  Emperor  would  have 
taken  place,  that  the  existence  of  a  calculus  would  have 
been  confirmed,  that  the  Empress  would  have  demanded 
and  have  obtained  immediate  treatment,  and  that  the 
declaration  of  war  made  three  days  after  the  con- 
sultation [an  obvious  error,  this]  would  have  been 
certainly  deferred,  and  perhaps  abandoned  ?     What 


TIEAL  CAUSE  OF  THE  EMPEROR'S  DEATH    83 

fin  immense  responsil)ility,  then,  was  assumed  by  those 
who  kept  the  consultation  secret,  and  did  not  com- 
municate it  to  the  Empress,  as  the  doctors  had  desired, 
and  who  allowed  the  Emperor,  in  his  grave  condition, 
to  engage  in  that  horrible  war  !" 

Dr.  Conneau  is  dead.  He  died  without  explaining 
the  reason  which  prompted  him  to  keep  the  result  of 
the  fateful  consultation  a  profound  secret.  In  his 
interesting  work,  "  La  Maladie  de  I'Empereur  " 
(Paris,  Paul  Ollendorff,  1890),  M.  Alfred  Darimon 
tells  this  curious  story  : 

"In  June,  1879,  I  was  dining  with  Prince  Jerome 
Napoleon.  Amongst  the  guests  was  Dr.  Ricord,  one 
of  the  medical  men  who  had  assisted  at  the  consulta- 
tion of  July  1,  1870.  [Fully  detailed  above.]  It 
occurred  to  Prince  Napoleon  to  ask  Dr.  Ricord,  an 
old  friend  of  his,  how  it  was  that  the  result  of  the 
consultation  had  been  kept  a  secret,  and  that  the 
proces-verbal  contained  only  the  one  signature  of  Dr. 
Germain  See.  Dr.  Ricord  replied  that  his  confrere, 
Dr.  Nelaton,  was  the  real  culprit  :  he  had  feared 
that,  if  the  diagnostics  were  known,  he  (Nelaton) 
would  be  called  upon  to  operate  on  the  Emperor.  The 
slight  success  which  he  had  had  the  previous  year  in 
operating  on  Marechal  Niel  had  frightened  him  as  to 
the  responsibility  which  he  was  exposed  to,  and,  with- 
out actually  refusing  to  sign  the  document,  he  had 
not  evinced  any  desire  to  affix  his  name  to  the  proch- 
verbal  of  the  consultation.  His  colleao;ues  had 
followed  his  example. 

'  Voila  un  homme,'  said  Prince  Napoleon,  when 
Dr.  Ricord  had  gone,  '  who  has  held  the  destinies  of 
France  in  his  hands.  If  that  old  man  had  spoken,  we 
should  not  have  had  the  horrible  war  of  1870.' 

Prince  Napoleon  then  narrated  what  had  passed 
between  him  and  Dr.  Conneau  after  the  Emperor's 
death.     He  had  told  me  the  story  two  or  three  times 

6—2 


84  EMPRESS  ErOP.NTE 

alroatlN,  l)ut,  l)v  rriu'iitiiiii,"  it  Ix-forc  several  persons, 
he  ill  a  manner  eonsi'crated  its  authenticity.  Anionust 
the  Kuiperors  j^apers  tliev  found  the  oriiiinal  ol  the 
eonsultation  siuncil  1)\  Dr.  St'c.  IMiiu-e  Xapoh'on  was 
stujU'tied  l>v  this  diseoverv.  Alter  readinii,-  tlie  (hxMi- 
nient  lie  saw  I  )r.  Conneau  in  a  eorm-r,  and  sjioke  sliarply 
to  him  : 

'  n«)W  is  it  that  \(>u  came  t()  conceal  such  an  im- 
portant document  ?' 

"(hie  can  sav  iiotliini;'  to  vou,'  replied  Conneau, 
'  v<ni  are  so  violent. 

'But  tell  me  now,'  continued  Prince  Napoleon; 
'  it  is  worth  while  taking  the  troiihle  to  speak.' 

'  I  showed  the  document  to  one  [or  "  to  those  "] 
who  had  a  right  to  see  it,  and  in  good  time,'  said  the 
poor  doctor,  lianging  his  head. 

'  And  what  was  the  answer  ?'  asked  the  Prince. 

'The  answer  was:  "  Le  vin  tire,  il  faut  le 
hoire."  ' 

"  These  declarations  of  Dr.  Conneau,"  says  M. 
Darimon,  "  tend  to  incriminate  the  Em])ress.  It 
would  result  from  them  that  she  knew^  the  conclusions 
of  the  consultino;  doctors.  That  is  a  o;rave  accusation 
which  ought  not  to  he  lightly  accepted.  Dr.  Conneau, 
thous-h  an  excellent  man,  thorouohlv  devoted  to 
the  imperial  family,  must  nevertheless  be  included 
amongst  those  men  whom  the  Gospel  calls  w^ak- 
minded.  Placed  suddenly  in  presence  of  a  terrible  re- 
sponsibility, which  up  to  then  he  had  not  sus|)ected, 
he  probal)ly  sought  to  extricate  himself  therefrom  by 
takino;  shelter  ])ehind  a  hio;her,  and  at  all  events  a 
less  vulnerable,  personality.  If  the  document  was 
really  found  in  the  Emperor's  cabinet,  it  is  impossible 
that  it  should  have  remained  there  absolutely  ignored. 
I  repeat,  it  is  a  mystery  which  will  never  be  pene- 
trated. The  Ministers  knew  nothing  of  it.  I  have 
been  assured  of  that  several  times  by  Ollivier  and  by 
Maurice  Richard.  Ollivier  has  constantly  said  to 
me  :  '  I  swear  that  my  colleagues  and  I  were  ignorant 
of  the  Emperor's  malady.     Had  we  known  of  it,  w^e 


EEAL  CAUSE  OF  THE  EMPEROR'S  DEATH  85 

should  not  have  let  him  take  the  command  of  the 
army,  and  we  would  have  kept  him  in  Paris.  It  is  a 
crime  to  have  kept  in  a  drawer  a  document  which 
might  have  exercised  a  capital  influence  over  the 
resolutions  of  the  Government.'  " 

The  Emperor  himself,  although  he  was  frequently 
spoken  to  on  the  subject  of  the  mysterious  document, 
always  answered  that  he  could  not  understand  why 
the  nature  of  his  malady  had  been  concealed  from 
him — why  the  result  of  the  consultation  was  not  made 
known  to  him  on  the  eve  of  the  declaration  of  war. 
"  I  should  never,"  said  His  Majesty,  "  have  allowed 
myself  to  be  dragged  into  and  off  to  the  war  had  I 
known  that  the  most  eminent  surgeons  in  Paris  had 
been  of  the  opinion  of  Dr.  See,  who  had  explicitly 
declared  that  I  was  sufFerino;  from  a  maladie  de  la 
pier?'e,  and  that  an  operation  was  urgently  necessary." 
It  has  been  said  that  the  nature  of  the  Emperor's 
malady  was  really  known  to  the  Empress  as  well  as  to 
His  Majesty's  entourage ;  however  this  may  be  (and 
the  Empress  strenuously  denies  it),  the  Emperor 
certainly  remained  in  ignorance  of  it  until  he  had 
reached  Metz,  when  the  agony  became  insupportable. 

Amidst  all  these  doubts  and  contradictions,  perhaps 
la  verite  vraie  is  to  be  found  in  the  explicit  assertions 
of  the  Comte  de  La  Chapelle,  whose  relations  with 
the  Emperor,  as  we  have  seen,  were  of  the  most 
intimate  character.  He  says  :  "  M.  Emile  Ollivier's 
affirmation  cannot  be  doubted  ;  it  is  perfectly  in 
accord  with  the  statements  of  Dr.  Conneau,  and  it 
agrees  with  the  conversations  which  I  myself  had 
with  Napoleon  III.  ;  but  the  former  Prime  Minister 
[M.  Emile  Ollivier]  is  deceived  if  he  believes  that  the 
Emperor's   malady   was  equally    unknown   to   all    his 


8C  KMPKKSS  KIUJENIE 

iH)llt»aijiU's.  (Ml  tliat  ptiiiit.  as  on  so  inaiiv  otlicr.--,  his 
colK'auiU'S  of  the  I-'oiciuii  <  Ulicr  would  liavt'  hccii  ahlc 
to  ciiliii-litcn  him,  l)iit  the  rrinic  Minister — I'xtni- 
onlinarv  fact  I  —  was  ciTtaiiilv  not  ahvavs  k('])t  an 
rnitninf  of  the  tinal  incidents  of  the  Ilohenzollorn 
afVair,  created  hv  a  fatal  influence  which  seized  upon 
the  l'.n»j)eroi-  and  forci'il  his  hand.  " 

A  curious  coincidence  remains  to  l)e  noted.  We 
know,  from  statements  made  [)ublicly,  and  never,  I 
think,  controverted,  that  in  the  year  LS6G  a  well- 
known  medical  man,  Dr.  Guillon,  had  recognized  the 
necessity  of  a  vesical  examination  of  Napoleon  III. 
liiis  fact  is  conlinned  by  the  doctor's  son,  Dr.  Alfred 
Guillon,  who,  in  an  interesting  and  detailed  letter, 
written  to  Comte  d'Herisson  seventeen  years  after  the 
Ijupcror's  death — viz.,  in  1800 — narrates  how  his 
fatlier,  at  the  request  of  Dr.  Alquio,  medical  inspector 
of  the  Vichy  waters,  examined  the  Em})eror,  and 
operated  on  him  three  times,  going  subsequently, 
by  His  Majesty's  desire,  to  see  him  at  Vichy,  the 
health-resort  which  owed  its  vogue  to  the  Emperor. 
Dr.  Alfred  Guillon  concludes  by  remarking  that 
Napoleon  I.  at  Waterloo,  and  when  he  went  on 
board  the  BeUerojjIioii^  suffered  in  the  same  way  as 
Napoleon  III.  ;  and  he  adds  that,  by  a  singular 
coincidence,  to  which,  I  think,  no  other  medical 
authority  has  directed  attention,  both  the  First  and  the 
Third  Napoleons  lost  their  thrones  owing  to  "  une 
maladie  des  voies  urinaires." 

l)r.  Debout  d'PLstrees,  an  eminent  French  medico, 
practising  at  Nice  and  Contrexeville,  has  given  his 
views  on  the  malady  of  Napoleon  III.  In  his  valuable 
work,  "  The  Causes  of  Gravel  and  Calculus,"  this 
autlioritv  writes  : 


DR.    DEBOUT  D  ESTKEES. 


To  face  p.  SO. 


EEAL  CAUSE  OF  THE  EMPEROR'S  DEATH  87 

"  We  know  that  it  was  impossible  to  complete  the 
operation,  as  it  was  only  half  over  when  the  patient 
succumbed. 

The  nucleus  o£  this  stone  consisted  of  a  kernel 
of  uric  acid  and  urates,  on  which  several  layers  of 
phosphates  were  superimposed. 

Sir  Henry  Thompson  is  of  opinion  that  the  misuse 
of  alkaline  waters  stimulated  the  formation  of  these 
concentric  layers,  which  were  further  increased  by  the 
irritation  subsequently  set  up,  as  a  natural  conse- 
quence, in  the  bladder.  The  outermost  layers,  which 
corresponded  in  point  of  time  with  the  period  of  the 
war  and  the  fatigue  induced  by  riding  on  horseback, 
in  a  patient  under  such  conditions,  were,  as  the 
operator  clearly  pointed  out,  irregular  and  rugose." 


Statement  by  Dr.   Debout  d^Es trees,   1910. 

In  April,  1873 — three  months  after  the  operation 
on  the  Emperor — Sir  William  Gull,  Queen  Victoria's 
doctor,  said  to  me  :  "  /  advised  the  Emperor  not  to 
undergo  an  operation,  the  condition  of  his  kidnei/s 
being  such  as  to  make  me  fear  that  any  operation 
would  be  fatal.  ^^ 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  presence  of  the  stone  in  the 
bladder  for  such  a  long  period  had  caused  an  inflam- 
mation of  that  organ  which  had  extended  to  tlie 
kidneys. 

The  real  cause  of  the  Emperor's  death  was,  then, 
blood-poisoning  {tiremie*),  and  not  what  the  Comte  de 
La  Chapelle  describes  as  an  "  overdose  of  chloral 
administered  by  the  Empress  Eugenie." 

The  operation  performed  by  Sir  Henry  Thompson 
removed  only  half  of  the  stone,  the  fragments  of  which 
ought  to  have  been  extracted  naturally,  and  not,  as  in 
*  An  accumulation  of  urine  in  the  blood. 


88  IIMI'KKSS   Kl'CiENlK 

i>ur  ilavs,  l)v  aspiration.  Tlic  otluT  lialf  ol'  the  stone 
is  in  till'  |)ossi'ssion  of  the  Kniprcss  Kuijt'«nic. 

Tlu-  cxisti'tu'o  of  tlic  stone  was  known  hcforr  tlie 
wur.  \\\\\  was  not  an  oitciation  porfornicd  ?  I 
cannot  sav  ;  jirrlinjis  it  was  Ix'cansc  His  Imperial 
Majesty's  surgeon,  Professor  Melaton,  had  recently 
operated  on  Marshal  Nii'l  (then  War  Minister),  who 
(lied  after  the  operation. 

In  tht>se  days  antiseptic  treatment,  wliicli  has  since 
saved  >o  many  lives,  was  not  practised.  Pasteur  and 
Lord  Lister  have  enahled  surgeons  to  do  what  they 
could  not  previously  attemi)t. 

Sir  William  Gull  said  to  me  :  "  /  luld  the  Emperor 
Napoleon^  irlieii  he  sut  i/i  fhr  (irmchair  ifou,  (ire  now 
sitting  iii^  not  to  undergo  an  operation."" 

^L'my  discussions  took    place    afterwards  hetween 

French    and    English    surgeons,   but    I    was   glad    to 

personally  put  an  end  to  the  controversy,  making  Sir 

Henry  Thompson  and  Professor  Dolbeau  dine  together 

at  the  Cafe  Royal  (London)  in  April,  1874,  and  subse- 

(juently  shake  hands. 

Debout  d'Estki^es. 

Villa  Gloria,  Nice, 


February  22,  1910 


* 


♦  This  important  and  convincing  statement  was  courteously 
communicated  to  the  author  by  Dr.  Debout  d'Estrdes,  Ancien 
Inspecteur  des  Eaux  Minerales  de  Contrex6ville,  whose  high  reputa- 
tion need  not  be  emphasized.  We  learn  from  it  for  the  first  time 
the  actual  cause  of  the  tragic  death  of  Napoleon  III.  at  Chislehurst 
in  1873.  Until  now  the  fact  that  Sir  William  Gull  had  advised  the 
Emperor  not  to  be  operated  upon  has  not  been  made  known.  It 
was  stated  authoritatively  that  Sir  Henry  Thompson's  operation 
had  been  "  completely  successful " ;  it  would  how  appear  to  have 
been  the  reverse.  The  Comte  de  La  Chapelle's  statement  as  to  the 
"overdose  of   chloral  "  was,  according   to  Dr.  Debout  d'Estrees, 


KEAL  CAUSE  OF  THE  EMPEROR'S  DEATH  89 

Another  Contrexeville  expert  has  this  comment  on 
the  above  passage  : 

"  From  this  human  document  arises  a  lesson  for 
reflection  on  the  part  both  of  the  historian  and 
philosopher,  since  we  know  the  immense  influence 
exercised  by  the  physical  on  the  moral  nature  ;  when 
we  consider  the  clouding  of  the  intellect,  the  en- 
feebling of  strength  and  will-power,  which  may  be 
induced  by  a  morbid  condition  aggravated  by  torturing 
pain  ;  when  we  recall  how  another  Napoleon — the 
First,  the  Great — is  thought  to  have  owed  his  defeat  at 
Waterloo  to  the  mischief  which  had  smitten  his  bodily 
organs,  we  may  well  ask  ourselves  what  would  have 
happened  if  the  water  of  the  '  Pavilion '  spring,  care- 
fully administered,  had  reduced  the  size  of  that 
stumbling-block  on  which  the  fortune  of  an  empire 
was  about  to  be  wrecked,  and,  by  rounding  off  the 
angles,  had  afforded  beforehand  to  the  future  sufferer 
of  defeat  at  Sedan  ease  of  body,  liberty  of  spirit  and 
peace  of  mind,  coolness,  clearness  of  vision,  and 
elasticity  of  energy." 

Had  Napoleon  HI.,  who  died  on  January  9,  survived 
until  April  20,  he  would  have  entered  upon  his  sixty - 
fifth  year.  Napoleon  I.  died  at  the  earlj^  age  of  fifty - 
two,  his  father  at  thirty-nine,  and  his  grandfather  at 
the  same  age  ;  and,  according  to  M.  Frederic  Masson, 
of  the  Academie  Franqaise,  all  three  died  of  a 
cancerous  affection  of  the  stomach.* 

Queen  Victoria,  who  had  been  kept  informed  daily 
of  the  course  of  the  Emperor's  malady,  wrote  in  the 

inaccurate ;  but  he  only  reported  what  he  assures  us  he  heard  at 
Camden  Place  on  the  day  of  the  Emperor's  wholly  unexpected 
death. 

*  "  Napoleon   et  sa   Famille,"  tome  vii. ;   Paris,   Jjibrairie  Paul 
Ollendorf,  1906. 


DO  KMPHKSS  KUCENIK 

Court  Cirriilar  oi'  .I:inii:iiv  10  (( )sl)oriU')  :  "  Tlie  C^uoon 
received  witli  luuch  roL::rot  tlu'  melaiu'liolv  iiilcl- 
liiitMicf,  at  Diu'  o'cloik  yi'stcnlav,  ol"  the  dcatli  of  tlir 
KiujuTor  Najtolt'on.  llcr  Maji'sty  iinnu'diati'Iy  tele- 
i::ra|)lK'(l  a  im\ssaiz:i'  <'i'  coiuloli'm'e,  and  shortly  after- 
wards ColoiR'l  Cilardincr,  K(|iu'rry  to  the  (^hiccn,  left 
Osl)orne  for  (^imdeii  Place  with  an  antouraph  letter 
from  the  (^neen  to  the  lCni])ress.  " 

The  Prince  of  Wales,  attended  by  Colonel  Teesdale, 
}>aid  a  visit  of  condolence  to  the  Empress  on  the 
11  til.  Her  Majesty  felt  unequal  to  receive  the 
Prince  personally,  but  His  Royal  Highness  stayed 
some  time  at  Camden  Place.  The  Prince  said  to 
Comte  Davilliers  :  "  I  do  not  ask  to  see  the  Empress 
or  the  Prince  Imperial.  I  only  want  the  Empress  to 
know  that  1  have  come  in  the  Queen's  name  to 
present  my  homage."  The  funeral  was  not  at- 
tended by  the  Queen  or  by  any  meml)ers  of  the 
Roval  Family.  The  Duke  of  Cambridge  was  unable 
to  be  present  when  our  Princesses  went  to  take  a 
last  look  at  the  Emperor  on  the  day  })receding  the 
obsequies,  but  on  the  day  after  the  funeral  he  had  an 
interview  with  the  Empress  and  the  Prince  Im])erial. 
The  Queen  was  represented  at  the  funeral  by  Lord 
Bridport. 

The  Jnurnni  OfjUciel  contained  the  curt  announce- 
ment :  "  Napoleon  died  yesterday,  the  lith  January,  at 
Chislehurst." 

"  Prince  [Jerome]  Napoleon's  chance  is  not  worth 
discussing,"  wrote  Mr.  Bliiwitz  in  the  Times.  The 
American  Press  condenmed  the  P^mperor's  career 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end. 

The  order  for  three  months'  mourning  for  the 
Emperor  was  couched  in  these  terms  : 


REAL  CAUSE  OF  THE  EMPEROR'S  DEATH  91 

"Camden  Place,  Chislehurst, 

le  17  Janvier,  1873. 

Le  deuil  a  Toccasion  de  la  mort  de  sa  majeste 
FEmpereur  Napoleon  HI.  sera  de  trois  mois,  a  partir 
du  10  Janvier.  Le  grand  deuil  sera  porte  pendant 
les  six  premieres  semaines.  Le  petit  deuil  pendant 
les  six  semaines  suivantes.  Les  hommes  auront  le 
crupe  au  chapeau." 

A  member  of  the  Marlborough  Club  (founded  a 
few  years  previously  by  the  Prince  of  Wales  and  the 
Duke  of  Edinburgh)  wrote  to  the  Times  suggesting 
that  "  everybody  "  should  follow  the  example  of  the 
Court,  and  go  in  mourning  for  a  week,  "  as  that  would 
show  the  universal  esteem  in  which  His  Majesty  was 
held  in  this  country."  The  suggestion  did  not  meet 
with  much  approval. 

I  read  with  some  trepidation  (for  I  was  the  culprit) 
this  jiaragraph  in  the  Morning  Post  of  January  18  : 

"  A  singular  mistake  occurred  in  the  report  of  the 
Emperor  Napoleon's  funeral.  When  the  procession  re- 
turned to  the  house,  the  Prince  Imperial  was  saluted  by 
the  ouvriers  and  l)ya  host  of  friends,  and  a  cry  was  raised 
of  '  Vive  Napoleon  IV.  !'  At  this  moment  a  lady, 
clad  in  the  deepest  mourning,  appeared  on  the  balcony, 
and  in  the  haste  and  excitement  of  the  occasion  many 
imagined  it  was  the  Empress.  It  was  not  so.  Her 
Majesty  had  never  quitted  the  prayerful  seclusion  of 
her  chamber.  The  figure  that  showed  itself  for  an 
instant  was  the  former  governess  (Miss  Flowers)  of 
the  Prince  Imperial,  who  in  her  emotion  sought  to 
look  upon  her  old  pupil  in  the  supreme  hour  of  his 
trial.  The  incident,  by  its  misinterpretation,  has 
given  pain  to  the  Empress,  who  would  be  much  hurt 
if  she  were  thought  capable  of  accepting  any  public 
or  political  manifestation  in  the  solemn   hour  when 


92  EMPUESS  EUCE.NIE 

luT  wlmK'  licart  :iiul  tlioiiulits  wove  al)S()rl)e(l  in  sacred 
grief." 

Sii|)|)()sinix  Napoleon  111.  iiad  refused  to  be  dragged 
into  that  ealaniitt)us  war,  what  would  have  hai)i)ened 
at  his  death  ?  Mr.  H.  A.  L.  Fisher,  in  his  lectures  on 
r>onaj)artisni  delivered  in  the  Kniversitv  of  London,* 
e.\j)resses  the  o])inion  that  his  heir  would  still  he  on 
the  French  throne.  Mr.  Fisher  niav  or  may  not  be 
rii^ht  in  that  surmise,  said  his  reviewer  in  the  Times 
( August  27,  1908);  "but  it  is  certain  that  the  ruler 
of  a  constitutional  monarchy,  such  as  Fi-ance  must 
have  become  after  the  concessions  of  18()i)  and  1870, 
would  no  lonuer  have  been  the  representative  of 
Bonapartism,  The  sovereign  people  cannot  delegate 
j)ower  at  one  and  the  same  time  to  an  individual  and 
to  a  representative  assembly." 

*'  Eternal  peace  is  not  even  a  beautiful  dream. 
War  is  one  of  God's  own  institutions  and  a  principle 
of  order  in  this  world.  In  war  the  noblest  virtues  of 
man  are  brought  out :  courage  and  self-abnegation, 
fidelity  to  duty  as  well  as  love  of  self-sacrifice.  The 
soldier  offers  his  life.  Without  war  the  world  would 
decay  and  be  lost  in  materialism."  Those  are 
Moltke's  words,  and  not  only  Lord  Roberts,  whose 
warning  words,  "  Be  ready  !"  stirred  the  country  once 
more  at  the  end  of  1909,  but  every  man  who  has 
worn  the  uniform,  will  endorse  their  accuracy. 

''  War  is  a  game  which,  were  their  subjects  wise. 
Kings  would  not  play  at."  This  was  also  true  once 
on  a  time.  But  Kings  (and  Sultans)  are  not  all -para- 
mount now.  Had  Napoleon  III.  been  absolutely 
])aramouat  in  1870,  there  would  have  been  no  war 
with  Prussia  ;  but  he  was  not,  and  we  know  how^  he 
*  Oxford  University  Press,  1908. 


REAL  CAUSE  OF  THE  EMPEROKS  DEATH  93 

was  forced  into  hostilities  by  the  "  war  party."  Many 
causes  contributed  to  the  defeat  of  the  French  at 
Sedan,  but  the  outstanding  fact  was  that  they  were 
vastly  outnumbered.  The  relative  numbers  of  the 
contending  forces  on  September  2  (the  day  after  the 
battle,  the  day  of  the  humiliating  but  unavoid- 
able capitulation)  were — French,  80,000  ;  Germans, 
220,000  ;  the  former  having  rations  for  only  one  day. 

The  first  anniversary  of  the  death  of  Napoleon  HI. 
(January  9,  1874)  was  observed  in  Paris  with  unex- 
pected solemnity.  On  the  boulevards  the  demand  for 
violets  was  enormous.  The  congregation  attending 
the  service  at  St.  Augustin's,  now,  as  then,  the 
"  Bonapartist  Church,"  filled  the  large,  handsome 
edifice.  There  were  to  be  seen  the  ex- Queen  Isabella 
of  Spain  (whose  son,  the  playmate  in  childhood  of 
the  Prince  Imperial,  and  between  1871  and  1874  the 
occasional  companion  of  the  Bonapartist  Prince  in 
London,  was  to  ascend  the  throne  of  Spain  within  a 
year  after  this  memorial  service).  Princess  Girgenti 
(Isabella's  daughter).  Prince  Joachim  Murat,  the  Due 
de  MalakoflP,  M.  Pietri  (Prefect  of  Police  under  the 
Second  Empire),  General  Fleury  (like  all  the  men,  in 
evening  dress),  and  all  the  members  of  the  late 
Emperor's  family  in  deep  mourning.  Observed  also 
were  Marshal  and  Mme.  Canrobert,  several  Bona- 
partist deputies,  Paul  de  Cassagnac  (looking,  as  I 
had  seen  him  look  at  Chislehurst  at  the  funeral  a  year 
previously,  the  picture  of  woe),  and  the  venerable 
Abbe  Laisne  (formerly  chaplain  at  the  Tuileries).  An 
immense  crowd  gathered  in  the  Place  St.  Augustin. 

At  the  Church  of  St.  Germain  I'Auxerrois  (close 
to  that  part  of  the  Tuileries  from  which  the  Empress 
escaped  on  September  4)  there  was  also  a  crowded 


'.'•I  KMPitKss  i:r(:f:xiK 

atli'iulanci',  tlic  pcojilf  who  were  close  ciioii^li  hcini;' 
uratitioil  l>v  the  imusual  siulit  ol"  tlio  uon-( 'atliolic 
Priiu't'  (.Kronu')  NapoU'oii  knci'liiiu  in  front  ol  the 
altar.  Closi'  hv  wvvv  liis  wile  (rrinct'sse  C'lotildc) 
and  liis  sister  (the  Into  Princessc  Matliildo). 

Sonic  l.."»(»0  |H'oi>l(.'  assembled  at  the  (Miurcli  of  St. 
KustiU'he,  many  of  them  retired  olHcers,  some  (veterans 
these)  wearini;-  the  St.  Helena  medal  !  There  was, 
too,  a  deputation  from  the  })0[)ular  corporation  of  the 
Dames  de  la  Halle. 

At  two  other  cliurehes — St.  Clotilde  and  St.  Am- 
hoise — there  were  likewise  anniversary  services.  At 
the  former  miirht  have  been  seen  nearly  all  the 
aristocratic  notabilities  who  were  wont  to  attend  the 
Court  of  the  Tuileries  ;  at  the  latter  the  congregation 
was  almost  entirely  composed  of  workmen. 


CHAPTER  V 

IN  THE  BLUE  SALON 

The  Prince  Imperial  was  drilling,  with  his  fellow- 
cadets,  on  the  morning  of  January  9,  1873,  when 
Comte  Clary,  who  had  driven  over  to  Woolwicli 
immediately  after  the  Emperor's  death,  was  an- 
nounced. Comte  Clary  did  not  tell  the  Prince  that 
he  was  fatherless,  but  on  the  way  back  to  Chislehurst 
he  said  enough  to  enable  the  boy  to  realize  that  he 
must  be  prepared  to  hear  the  worst.  The  aspect  of 
everybody  and  everything  at  Camden  Place  destroyed 
the  Prince's  last  hope. 

"  Tell  me  the  truth,"  said  the  Prince,  in  faltering 
tones,  to  his  mother.  "  I  am  strong  enough  to 
bear  it." 

When  the  Empress  replied  that  his  father  was  dead, 
the  Prince  did  not  speak,  but,  going  into  the  death - 
chamber,  threw  himself  on  his  knees  and  recited 
"  Our  Father  "  in  Latin.  He  got  up  and  took  a  long 
look  at  the  dead ;  then,  exclaiming,  "  I  cannot  stay 
here,"  hurried  to  his  own  room. 

There  the  doctors,  Corvisart  and  Conneau,  told  him 
all  that  had  happened,  and  then,  and  only  then,  he 
gave  way.  By  the  next  day  the  Prince  was  com- 
paiatively  calm,  much  calmer  than  his  mother,  and 
exnibited  his  wonted  energy  and  strength  of  cliar- 
acter.     Several  times  during  that  day  the   Empress 

95 


or,  KMIMIKSS  KrCKNlE 

ami  tlu'  ri-incr  Uiiclt  f  <»i:rtli(r  in  |)r:i\(M-  hv  the 
l\in|>t'ror's  siik'.  Tlu'  '' watclitTs  "  wen'  tlic  hue  tic 
Hassain).  tlic  two  doctors,  Conitc  (Marv,  Cointc  Davil- 
liiTs,  M.  riitri.  and  M.  nioii,  wlio  relieved  each  other 
everv  three  liours. 

Tlie  r/isrrr/i.s.srnienf,  or  "laving-out,"  was  performed 
hv  Cointes  Pavilliers  and  Clarv,  Dr.  Comieaii,  and 
M.  rietri. 

All  the  Chisleliiirst  people  had  words  of  regret. 

"  It's  a  ])ity  he's  gone,"  said  one  of  the  humblest. 
"  He  was  a  verv  nice  old  gentleman." 

''  People  say  my  father  was  a  silent  man,"  sobbed 
the  Prince,  shortly  after  the  funeral  ;  "  but  how  many 
things  he  told  me  which  are  engraved  upon  my 
memory  and  in  my  heart !" 

Prince  Arthur  (Duke  of  Connaught)  and  liis 
brother,  the  late  Prince  Leopold,  wrote  in  very  affec- 
tionate terms  to  the  Prince  Imperial. 

Amongst  the  first  telegrams  of  condolence  received 
bv   the   widowed  Empress  was   one   from   a  French 

journeyman    saddler.      It    ran  :     "  Madame,    N , 

ouvrier  sellier,  enfant  du  peuple,  partage  votre 
douleur." 

"He  was  so  good.  Never,  never,  never  did  he 
complain  of  anybody.  He  was  too  good — that  was 
his  onlv  fault."  This  was  the  tribute  of  the  members 
of  the  imperial  household,  one  and  all. 

Mme.  Lebreton-Bourbaki  said  :  "  I  was  not  by  the 
side  of  the  Empress  in  the  days  of  her  prosperity,  but 
it  consoles  me  to  remember  that  I  have  been  with  her 
throughout  all  her  misfortunes.  How  empty  the 
house  seems  !  The  Emperor  was  like  an  oak-tree, 
round  which  everybody  gathered,  listening  to  wise 
words." 


IN  THE  BLUE  SALON  97 

"  It  was  not  to  the  Emperor,  but  to  the  man,  I  was 
attached,"  declared  faithful  M.  Pietri.  "  For  myself, 
what  does  it  matter  whether  I  am  at  the  Tuileries  or 
here  ?"  He  never  tired  of  referring  to  the  Emperor's 
warm-heartedness,  his  affectionate  and  winning  dis- 
position. M.  Pietri  could  not  understand  how  the 
Emperor  had  contrived  to  conceal  his  terrible  pain 
from  everybody. 

"  For  five  years,"  said  another  old  friend,  "  he  had 
suffered  from  that  pierre,  grosse  comme  un  ceuf.  Dr. 
Corvisart  showed  it  to  me.  It  was  evident,  from  the 
autopsy,  that  the  malady  would  soon  have  ended 
fatally.  An  operation  was  the  only  chance  of  pro- 
longing his  life  for  a  time." 

Sir  Henry  Thompson  marvelled  how  the  Emperor 
could  have  remained  for  five  hours  on  horseback  at 
the  battle  of  Sedan  :  "  The  pain  which  he  must  have 
endured  is  indescribable." 

The  Empress  had  a  long  conversation  with  Sir 
Henry  on  the  day  after  the  Emperor's  death,  and 
warmly  thanked  him  for  his  devotion,  "  You  know," 
she  said  to  the  eminent  surgeon,  "  I  am  not  one  of 
those  who  only  value  success." 

Prince  Charles  Bonaparte,  who  had  been  in  the 
army,  and  had  held  a  command  at  Metz,  was  devotedly 
attached  to  his  imperial  relative.  "  I  believe,"  said 
Prince  Charles,  "  the  Emperor  fully  understood  his 
dangerous  condition.  Only  a  month  ago,  in  this  little 
room,  we  were  discussing  the  extraordinary  change 
of  public  opinion  in  France,  and  the  inevitable  restora- 
tion of  the  Empire.  About  this  the  Emperor  had 
no  doubt  whatever.  '  But,'  he  observed  with  a  sad 
smile,  '  it  is  a  great  pity  that  I  am  so  ill  !' " 

M.  Rouher,  on  returning  to  Paris  from  Chislehurst 

7 


98  KMPRi:SS  KIJGENIE 

ill  l)o('eiiil)rr.  lS7l'.  told  ;i  rriciid  that  Sir  lIcMiry 
riu>ni|)st)n  was  pri']):uinii-  tin-  Kiujx'ror  for  tlic  ojx'ni- 
tioii  wliicli  WMS  ]H'ii"oinu'd  on  tin*  following  2nd  of 
January.  Two  days  after  M.  Rouher's  statement  a 
rt'nort  was  current  in  Paris  tliat  tlie  Emperor  was 
dead  ;  and  when,  on  Januarv  0,  the  fact  was  published 
the  Tarisians  would  not  credit  it. 

***** 

it  was  the  day  after,  and  in  the  centre  of  the  bed- 
room was  the  open  cofiin. 

The  Elmperor  was  fully  dressed,  in  the  uniform  of 
a  French  General  of  Division,  and  on  the  blue  tunic 
the  Empress  had  placed  a  red  rose  on  his  breast,  close 
to  the  grand  cordon,  the  cross,  and  the  plaque  of  the 
Legion  of  Honour,  the  military  and  the  Italy  medals, 
and  the  blue  ribbon  of  the  Order  of  the  Garter.  The 
sword  which  he  had  tendered  to  the  King  of  Prussia 
was  by  his  side,  the  kepi  at  his  feet.  Rings  remained 
on  his  fingers.  The  embalming  had  left  the  face  of 
a  ))right  yellow  hue — or  so  it  seemed  to  me  in  the  dull 
candlelight.  Two  Sisters  and  a  gentleman  of  the 
household  watched.  No  one  else  was  in  the  room, 
for  the  venerable  Due  de  Bassano,  after  leading  me 
to  the  death-chamber,  had  retired. 

Downstairs  I  witnessed  a  bewildering  bustle — 
members  of  the  household  Hitting  from  room  to 
room  ;  one  was  jostled  by  servants  ;  the  carpenters 
who  were  arranging  the  hall  for  the  lying-in-state 
hammered  and  sawed  until  the  din  became  insupport- 
able ;  it  penetrated  even  to  the  Empress's  room  over- 
head, to  her  great  distress. 

Bonapartism  had  expired  with  the  disaster  of 
September  1,  and  now  the  one  man  who  possessed 
any  powxT  of  galvanizing  it  into  a  new  existence  was 


IN  THE  BLUE  SALON  99 

lying  there,  on  that  camp-bed,  in  the  long  sleep  which 
knows  no  awakening.  So  this  was  the  end  of  it  ! 
The  once  all-powerful  ruler  of  France,  whose  legions 
I  had  seen  beaten  back,  until  night  mercifully  hid 
them  from  our  sight,  was  there  in  front  of  me,  an 
inert  mass,  beyond  the  reach  of  friend  and  of  foe  ! 
All  was  quiet  ;  but  as  I  passed  out  of  the  death- 
chamber  and  down  the  long  avenue,  whose  trees 
sobbed  a  requiem,  I  seemed  to  hear  the  thunderous 
roar  of  the  cannon,  and  the  sharp  "  ping "  of  the 
bullets,  and  the  infernal  rattle  of  the  mitrailleuses, 
mingled  with  the  shouts  of  triumph  from  helmeted 
Teutons,  as  the  victorious  armies  of  Kaiser  Wilhelm 
tramped  along  the  Unter  den  Linden,  lined  with  the 
French  cannon  which  had  done  good  service  on  the 
fields  of  Saarbriicken,  of  Weissenberg,  of  Worth,  of 
Gravelotte,  of  Sedan,  and  a  dozen  others. 

The  Empress  caused  it  to  be  intimated  to  the  French 
mourners  that  she  would  receive  them  on  the  day 
following  the  funeral. 

It  was  mid-January,  but  the  afternoon  was  sj^ring- 
like. 

The  principal  apartment  at  Camden  Place  was  the 
Blue  Salon,  into  which  we  were  ushered,  and  formed 
into  two  semicircular  groups.  The  corridor  was 
lined  on  both  sides  by  gentlemen.  The  ladies 
assembled  in  the  dining-room,  and  were  the  first  to  be 
received  by  the  Empress.  (No  English  ladies  were 
present,  and  the  only  Englishmen  I  saw  were  the 
Duke  of  Cambridge  and  Captain  Baynes,  of  the  Metro- 
politan Police.) 

I  will  endeavour  to  reconstitute  the  scene. 

All  the  blinds  are  still  down.  Moving  noiselessly 
about,  the  Due  de  Cambaceres,  Grand  Master  of  the 


100  EMPKESS;  ErCiENIE 

C'lTiiuttnics,  uuirmwrs  iiisf ructions  to  one  iiiul  orders 
to  another.  Tliere  is  nhout  this  |>ersonage  much  more 
of  tlie  Ht>na|>:irtist  tlian  is  observable  in  his  colleague, 
the  Hue  (le  Rassano  ;  he  is  the  ])ink  of  courtesy,  but 
lacks  the  geniality  of  his  frieml,  whose  kindness 
remains  a  fragrant  memory.  Surrounding  the  first- 
named,  half  a  dozen  officers  and  Ministers  of  the 
Second  Empire  exchange  confidences  in  nuifHed  tones. 
There  are  two  Marshals  :  Lebceuf  is  one — he  who 
boasted,  the  moment  war  was  declared,  that  the 
French  Army  was  so  thoroughly  equipped  that  not  a 
gaiter-button  was  lacking.  The  other  is  Canrobert, 
who.  although  martyrized  by  gout,  contrives  to  walk 
without  hobbling.  Close  by  two  other  generals — 
Palikao  and  Goyon — stands  a  third,  and  him  I  regard 
with  curiosity  ;  for  this  is  Frossard,  and  I  remember 
him  at  Saarbriicken.  The  man  with  the  pleasant- 
looking  English  face  is  the  Due  de  Mouchy,*  one  of 
the  half-dozen  most  prominent  followers  of  the  Third 
Napoleon,  and  husband  of  Princess  Anna  Murat, 
whose  mother  was  an  American,  named  Eraser,  of 
New  Jersey.  Of  course  the  Princes  Murat  are  all 
in  this  mourning  crowd. 

And  we  are  all  interested  at  seeing  stalwart,  jovial 
General  Fleury,  Master  of  the  Horse  under  the 
Empire,  and  later  Ambassador  at  St.  Petersburg, 
wliere  the  Empress-Regent  made  him  stay  in  1870, 
although  he  implored  her  to  allow  him  to  resign  his 
diplomatic  functions  and  join  his  old  comrades  in  the 
field  ;  Admiral  Rigault  de  Genouilly,  w^io  had  been 
Minister  of  Marine  ;  Baron  Haussmann,  the  creator 
of  New  Paris — he  is  conversing  with  the  Marquis  de 
Lavalette,  the  last  of  the  Empire's  Ambassadors  to 
♦  He  died  in  1909. 


IN  THE  BLUE  SALON  101 

the  Court  of  St.  James ;  Carpeaux,  the  sculptor  ; 
cheery,  round-faced,  spectacled  Baron  Lambert,  for 
twenty  years  the  intimate  friend  of  Napoleon  III.  ; 
and  the  Baron  de  Pierres,  the  Comte  de  Brissac, 
Comte  Marmesia,  with  scores  besides,  bearing  names 
familiar  to  most  English  people.  There  is  many  a 
whispered  consultation  between  the  Due  de  Bassano, 
M.  Rouher,  M.  Pietri,  M.  Eugene  Delessert  (the 
Emperor's  former  secretary),  and  Comte  Clary  ;  and 
presently  the  doctors  appear — Corvisart  and  Conneau. 

We  have  been  talking  in  undertones  for  more  than 
an  hour,  when  the  clock  on  the  mantelpiece  chimes 
a  quarter  past  two.  Nothing  is  said,  but  instinctively 
our  glances  are  turned  towards  the  door.  The  sun 
shines  in  upon  us  through  the  white  blinds — shines 
upon  the  Hope  of  France,  who  enters  the  Blue  Salon, 
bowing  right  and  left,  like  a  young  Sovereign,  the 
grand  cordon  of  the  Legion  of  Honour  across  his 
breast.  On  his  face  there  is  a  proud  smile,  full  of 
hope.  A  week  ago  he  was  only  the  Prince  Imperial 
— to-day  he  is  Napoleon  IV. 

He  is  not  yet  seventeen  ;  yet  they  made  him 
"  smell  powder "  at  Saarbriicken.  Worse,  he  was 
made  to  look  ridiculous  in  the  eyes  of  the  world  by 
the  surreptitious  publication  of  the  Emperor's  private 
despatch  recounting  the  gallant  behaviour  of  Louis 
before  the  enemy  on  the  occasion  of  Frossard's 
splendid  "  victory "  over  a  few  hundred  Prussians. 
Do  you  wonder  that  the  sight  of  the  "  little  Prince  " 
— the  new  Emperor,  Napoleon  IV. — receiving  the 
homage  of  the  smashed  and  pulverized  Bonapartist 
party  brings  tears  into  the  eyes  of  young  and  old 
alike  ?  The  boy-Prince  himself,  by  a  violent  effort, 
controls  his  emotion,  but,  fortunately,  he  has  not  to 


1012  EMPRESS  ErOF.NlE 

o|KMi  Ilis  lijis-  (Uilv  to  sliakt'  tlic  liuiul  ol'  eiicli  and 
ov(M'\  man  in  tliat  Hlue  Kooni,  and  allow  liis  own 
liand  to  1)0  Uissctl.  This  part  «d"  the  ciTiMuony  over, 
the  Prince  takes  nj)  a  j)osition  tacini;'  the  <loor,  and 
for  tlie  next  live  minutes  there  is  unhroken  sileiute. 
\\\'  are  waitinu"  for  the  Em])ress. 

The  coming  of  the  imperial  widow  is  heralded  by 
the  sobs  and  moans  of  those  who  line  the  corridor. 
The  ladies,  having-  been  received  bv  the  Em])r('ss  in 
the  dining-room,  have  followed  her  through  the 
sombre  passages,  and  their  emotion  is  contagious. 
We  see  comins;  towards  us — totterino-  rather  than 
walking — a  figure  of  rather  more  than  medium  height, 
swathed  in  the  deepest  black,  her  cheeks  of  ashen 
whiteness,  her  eyes  red  and  swollen  with  the  tears 
whicli  continue  to  flow.  The  Prince  hastens  to  give 
her  his  arm,  and  so  she  passes  round  the  Blue  Room, 
as  we  all  kneel  to  kiss  the  outstretched  hands  of  the 
woman  who,  less  than  three  short  years  ago,  was  the 
envied  of  her  sex  throughout  the  world,  the  Empress 
of  the  French,  born  "  son  excellence  Marie  Eugenie 
Guzman,  Comtesse  de  Teba,  Grande  d'Espagne  de 
premiere  classe." 

Her  Majesty  has  borne  up  most  heroically  while 
slowly  passing  along  the  ranks  of  those  weeping 
veterans  whose  laurels  were  gained  in  the  Crimea, 
where  they  fought  side  by  side  with  our  own  soldiers 
— in  Algeria,  in  Italy,  and  later  on  the  sacred  soil  of 
their  own  France.  She  has  seen  them  gazing  wist- 
fully and  speechless  from  emotion  into  her  swollen 
orbs,  and  has  not  completely  broken  down  under  the 
terrible  strain.  It  is  only  when  she  finds  herself  con- 
fronted by  a  group  of  her  son's  boy-comrades  that 
she  buries  her  face   in   her    hands,   and,   sobbing,   is 


IN  THE  BLUE  SALON  103 

tenderly  led,  almost  carried,  away  by   her  ladies-in- 
waiting. 

A  remarkable  group  of  themselves,  these  fair 
members  of  the  imperial  widow's  entourage.  One  of 
them  is  the  Princesse  de  la  Moskowa,  and  we  remem- 
ber that  it  was  a  daughter  of  that  most  eccentric  lady 
of  the  same  name  whom  the  Due  de  Persigny  married,  to 
his  exceeding  chagrin.  Besides  the  amiable  and  witty 
Princesse  de  la  Moskowa,  there  are  in  the  suite  of 
the  Empress  the  Comtesse  de  la  Poeze,  Vicomtesse 
d'Aguado,  Comtesse  de  Sancy,  Mme.  Sauley,  Mme, 
Carette  (who  was  later  to  publish  some  lively  re 
collections  of  the  Imperial  Court),  Mile,  de  Larminat, 
and  Mme.  Lebreton-Bourbaki — the  two  latter  especially 
well  known  in  this  country,  one  as  maid  of  honour, 
the  other  as  "  reader "  to  Her  Majesty,  first  at 
"  Camden  "  and  later  at  Farnborough  Hill. 

The  "  little  Prince "  withdraws,  accompanied  by 
Comte  Clary,  General  d'Espeuilles,  and  M.  Augustin 
Filon,  Prince  Charles  Bonaparte  walking  by  his 
young  relative's  side.  And  so  the  function  closes  ; 
and  we  stroll  on  the  lawn,  and  talk  of  the  future  with 
Delessert  and  his  bright  son  (one  of  the  Prince's 
favourites),  and  dear  old  Baron  Lambert. 

The  daily  life  at  Camden  Place  was  seldom  changed. 
The  room  in  which  the  Emperor  died  was  always  kept 
locked.  The  Empress  was  neither  a  player  on  any 
instrument  nor  a  singer,  but  she  made  water-colour 
drawings  of  the  room  in  which  the  Emperor  died,  and 
these  drawings  were  later  presented  to  M.  Pietri. 
The  Empress  read  the  English  newspapers  before 
rising  ;  the  Prince  was  generally  off  for  his  early  ride 
long  before  the  appearance  of  the  postman.  All  the 
household  met  in  the  picture-gallery,  which  contained 


104  EMPKKSS  EUGENIE 

S(»nu'  tiiu-  Cliapliiis,  ;it  li;ilt*-|)ast  clevi'ii  Tor  liuicli. 
riu'ii  well'  to  Ix'  stH'H  till'  Due  dc  l>;issan<),  Coiutf  ami 
("oiuti'ssi'  Chirv,  Mnu'.  Li'l)rc't()n-li(mrl)aki,  Mile,  de 
Karminat,  M.  Filoii,  ami  M.  Fraiiccsclniii  INctri. 
After  tlic  "  five  o'cloek  "  the  Eni])ress  went  for  a 
drive  or  a  walk,  the  Prince  remaining  at  his  studies. 
After  dinner,  at  Iialf-past  seven,  a  very  (juiet  evening 
was  spent  in  the  drawing-rooms.  There  was  no 
mnsie.  The  Prince  read  the  English  and  French 
})a])ers  ;  some  of  the  others  j)layed  ])atience.  The 
Empress  retired  very  early.  In  those  days,  long 
before  Cap  Martin  had  attracted  her,  the  Empress 
used  to  regularly  winter  at  Elorence — not  because, 
as  was  asserted,  she  felt  "  a  sensible  refroid'hssement 
in  the  manner  of  the  English  Court  and  society " 
towards  the  imperial  family,  l)ut  because  the  damp- 
ness of  Chislehurst  was  too  much  for  her. 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE  EMPEROR'S  PERSONALITY 

Before  presenting  some  very  unflattering  portraits  of 
Napoleon  III.,  I  would  recall  the  Emperor  as  lie  struck 
me  when  he  came  to  Chislehurst  in  March,  1871.  A 
man  of  less  than  average  height  ;  decidedly  stout ; 
moustache  and  hair  grey,  or,  to  speak  by  the  card, 
getting  grey  ;  eyes  which,  ever  and  anon,  flashed 
brightly  ;  the  singularly  large  face  with  a  heavy  rather 
than  the  dreamy  expression  which,  by  common  con- 
sent, marked  him  in  earlier  life  ;  the  pose  of  the  rather 
square  body  easy  and  undeniably  dignified,  whatever  it 
may  have  been  when  a  certain  "  Englishman  "  first  met 
Prince  Louis  Napoleon.  At  Wilhelmshohe  he  had  had 
every  facility  for  taking  walking  exercise  ;  but  he  was 
naturally  of  sedentary  habits,  and  was,  moreover, 
suiFering  acutely  from  the  calculus,  "  as  large  as  a 
pigeon's  egg"  which  doubtless  tended  to  shorten  his 
days.  His  temperament  was  of  the  easy-going  order, 
genial  and  kindly  ;  hardly  the  character  that  could 
refuse  any  favour  that  might  be  asked  of  him  ;  in 
brief,  very  prepossessing,  most  attractive — a  man,  as  I 
have  reason  to  know,  greatly  beloved  by  those  who 
enjoyed  his  friendship,  adored  by  his  intimates.  It  is 
impossible  to  realize  "  Napoleon  III.  living  in  Circus 
Road,  St.  John's  Wood,  and  drinking  ale  over  the  bar 

105 


ior>  EMPl^ESS  FATOENTE 

of  tilt'  V.yrv  Anns;"  vet  tli;it  is  liow  lie  was  rcl'eiTcd 
to  ill  a  l.oniloii  |trri(>(lic;il  in   1',)(I7  ! 

''  His  t":ici*  \v:m  and  pallid,  its  honv  cuiaciatcc]  anii;les 
drv(.'lo])('d  in  prominent  relied'  hy  the  shaded  lani])s  ; 
Ids  upper  lip  covcM'cd  with  nioustacdies  ;  a  Uudv  ol"  hair 
wavinii'  over  a  narrow  forehead  ;  his  nose  lari>;e  and 
h)nu-  ;  his  eyes  small  and  dull  ;  his  attitu(k'  timid  and 
anxions,  hearing  in  no  res])ect  a  resemhlance  to  the 
Em])eror  -  this  man  was  the  eitizen  Charles  Louis 
Najtoleon  lionaparte."  That  is  "how  he  looked" 
when,  on  December  20,  1848,  he  was  proclaimed 
President  of  the  Republic  in  the  National  Assembly. 
The  description  is  almost  flattering  when  we  remember 
that  it  is  from  the  pen  of  Victor  Hugo,  to  whom  the 
Emperor  of  later  days  was  "  Napoleon  le  Petit." 

Another  close  observer  noted  "  that  well-known 
nose  and  well-waxed  moustache,  that  retreating  brain- 
cap  and  Dutch-built  forehead." 

"  Everybody  was  struck  by  his  short  stature  and 
his  common  appearance  ;  but  his  manners  were  good 
and  not  without  dignity."  That  is  how  Napoleon  III. 
looked  to  Charles  Greville,  when  the  French  Sovereigns 
lirst  visited  Queen  Victoria  and  Prince  Albert  at 
Windsor  in  1855.  The  Queen  was  "  perfectly  satis- 
fied "  with  both  the  Emperor  and  the  Empress.  "  The 
former,"  w^rote  the  candid  Clerk  of  the  Council,  "  did 
his  best  to  please  the  Queen.  He  had  much  to  say  to 
Her  ^lajesty,  amused  her,  and  was  a  success." 

The  Duke  of  Cambridge  (then  Prince  George) 
wrote  to  Captain  Mildmay  on  December  3,  1849  : 

"  Louis  Napoleon  is  a  wonderful  fellow.  He  does 
the  most  extraordinary  things,  apparently  with 
impunity,  and  has  gained  ])0])ularity  by  them.  Still, 
I  fancy  he  cannot  go  on  long  in  this  way,  and  though 


THE  EMPEROE'S  PEESONALITY         107 

I  think  he  certainly  has  a  great  deal  of  tact  and 
talent,  still,  I  think  he  has  not  enough  to  carry  him 
through  so  vast  an  undertaking,  and  that  he  will 
consequently  break  down  in  the  attempt  of  making 
himself  Emperor,  or  First  Consul,  which  he  is 
evidently  driving  at." 

Less  than  a  year  later,  however,  the  Duke's  Diary 
contained  this  significant  entry  (September  3,  1850)  : 

"  I  wish  I  could  see  Louis  Napoleon  reviewing  the 
fleet  at  Cherbourg  ;  it  will  be  a  very  fine  sight,  I  think. 
I  cannot  but  think  that  it  must  end  by  his  being- 
Emperor  sooner  or  later.  Wonderful,  when  one 
remembers  the  insignificant  figure  he  cut  in  England."* 

The  Emperor  had  a  sincere  friend  and  wellwisher  in 
the  Duke  of  Cambridge,  who  always  spoke  of  him  as 
"  the  Emperor  of  the  French."  Li  December,  1872, 
when  Napoleon  was  certainly  ill,  but  not  seriously, 
the  Duke  went  to  Chislehurst  to  inquire  how  the 
patient  was  progressing.  Li  his  Diary  the  Duke 
notes  :  "  He  was  in  bed,  and  I  did  not  see  him,  but  I 
sat  a  long  time  with  her  [the  Empress].  She  was 
most  agreeable  and  chatty,  and  looked  very  well,  and 
seemed  in  good  spirits.  The  Prince  Imperial  was 
out."  On  January  9,  1873  (the  day  of  the  Emperor's 
death),  the  Duke  wrote:  "T  grieve  over  it  much,  as 
he  was  ever  most  kind  and  frank  with  me,  and  I 
entertained  for  him  a  real  and  cordial  regard  and 
esteem." 

Were  M.  Emile  Ollivier  asked  to-day  to  express  his 
opinion  in  a  nutshell  of  Napoleon  HL,  the  veteran 
statesman  and  author  of  the  ablest  and  most  exhaus- 

"  "  George,  Duke  of  Cambridge.  A  Memoir  of  his  Private  Life." 
Edited  by  Edgar  Sheppard,  C.V.O.,  D.D.,  Sub-Dean  of  His  Majesty's 
Chapels  Royal.     Longmans,  Green  and  Co.,  1906. 


108  EMPRKSS  EU015NTE 

tivi'  lii->t(>i-v  (if  tlic  Si'coiul  Kni])iro  hitliorto  publislicd, 
uouKl  prohaltly  ivpcat  wliiit  lie  wrote  in  lS7t  :  "After 
a  convrrsation,  followed  h\  many  others,  under 
serious  circunistances,  I  found  Naj)oleon  111.  tlie 
ahli'st  and  nu)st  serious  statesman  of  all  those,  without 
any  e\ee])tion,  whom  I  met  durina;  my  long  life 
amoui^st  statesmen."  That  sentence  formed  a  portion 
of  the  addresh  which  Ollivier  prepared  for  his  admis- 
sion to  the  Institut.  Some  of  the  "  Immortals  "  asked 
him  to  modify  his  praise  of  the  Emjieror,  who  had  not 
been  dead  much  more  than  a  year  ;  Ollivier  refused 
to  change  one  word,  with  the  result  that  the  members 
decided  that  the  public  admission  of  their  newly 
elected  colleague  should  be  indefinitely  postponed  ! 

Claude,  the  famous  Claude,  was  Chief  of  Police 
under  the  Second  Empire,  and  in  his  "  Memoirs," 
issued  in  translated  form  in  1908,  he  thus  sums  up 
the  Emperor :  "  Short-legged,  with  a  long  waist,  he 
was  framed  like  those  great  birds  which  are  all  body 
supported  by  webbed  feet.  He  waddled  as  he  walked, 
like  a  vulture.  There  was  a  mixture  in  this  young 
man  of  the  craftv  bandit  and  the  o-entleman  bandit. 
His  countenance,  almost  burlesque,  yet  attractive, 
was  not  out  of  keeping  with  the  corrupt  faces  around, 
which  it  mastered  while  harmonizing  with  them." 

Claude  was  attached  for  a  time  to  the  section  of  the 
theatres,  and  he  describes  Louis  Napoleon  arriving  at 
one  of  the  playhouses  "  with  unwashed  hands  and  face 
to  get  a  round  of  applause  from  the  gallery."  It  was 
Claude,  too,  who  had  charge  of  the  imperial  baggage 
train  in  the  first  days  of  the  war — the  train  which 
carried  beds  and  frying-pans,  "  and  a  million  in  specie," 
and  the  state  equipage  in  which  the  Emperor  was  to 
make  his  triumphant  entry  into  Berlin.     But  is  not  the 


THE  EMPEROK'S  PERSONALITY        109 

"  million  in  specie  "  a  flight  of  fancy  of  M.  Claude's  ? 
Anyway,  we  may  be  sure  that  what  is  meant  is 
1,000,000  francs,  or  £40,000,  and  one  remembers  that 
the  captive  Emperor  wrote  from  Wilhelmshohe  to  the 
Empress  at  Chislehurst :  "  I  have  not  with  me  more 
than  £8,000  (200,000  francs),"  half  of  which  he  sent 
to  Camden  Place. 

In  the  "  Letters  and  Recollections  of  Julius  and 
Mary  Mohl "  (edited  by  Mrs.  Simpson,  and  published 
in  1888)  the  Emperor  is  thus  depicted : 

"  He  is  as  unlike  the  ideal  Frenchman  as  possible. 
The  ideal  Frenchman  is,  before  all,  social  ;  this  man 
is  lonely.  The  Frenchman  is  expansive  ;  this  man  is 
close  and  traitorous.  The  Frenchman  is  gay  ;  this  man 
is  grave,  laughs  but  little.  The  Frenchman  is  brilliantly 
valorous  ;  this  man  gets  frightened.  He  ran  away  at 
Boulogne,  and  even  his  partisans  cannot  quote  a  single 
anecdote  '  oii  il  a  paye  de  sa  personne  '  with  the 
temerity  natural  to  the  French.  The  French  are 
open  and  frank,  though  not  very  truthful.  You  may 
get  the  truth  out  of  them  easily.  The  only  point  of 
resemblance  is  vanity.  But  his  [the  Emperor's]  is  a 
close  vanity,  like  private  drinking  ;  theirs  is  an  open, 
expansive  vanity,  like  conviviality." 

Mr.  Justin  M'Carthy,  in  his  "  History  of  Our 
Own  Times,"  shows  us  Napoleon  III.  in  the  most 
unattractive  light. 

"  There  were  some  personal  reasons  for  par- 
ticular distrust  of  the  upcoming  Empire  among 
the  English  people.  Louis  Napoleon  had  lived 
many  years  in  England.  He  was  as  well  known 
there  as  any  prominent  member  of  the  English 
aristocracy.  He  went  a  good  deal  into  very  various 
society — literary,  artistic,  merely  fashionable,  purely 
rowdy,  as  well  as  into  that  political  society  which 
might  have  seemed  natural  to  him.     In  all  circles  the 


wo  KMPIiESS  ICUr.ENlE 

sanu'  t>j)ini«)n  apjxMiis  t«>  liavc  been  forniod  (»f  liiin. 
I'lom  t\\v  astiitr  L«>r(l  I'aliucrstoii  to  tlic  most  ignorant 
of  tlu'  liorsi'- jockoys  and  Walli't-uirls  witli  wlioin  lie 
occasionally  consorted,  all  who  nn't  liini  seemed  to 
think  (d"  the  Prince  in  mnch  the  same  way.  It  was 
ai::reed  on  all  hands  that  he  was  a  tatnons,  dreamy, 
moony,  impracticahle,  stu])id  yon  ml:;  man.  A  sort  of 
stolid  amiahilitv,  not  enlightened  enonj^li  to  keep  him 
ont  of  low  (•omi)any  and  ([nestionahle  contact,  aj)|teared 
to  l)e  his  principal  characteristic.  We  cannot  remem- 
her  one  authentic  account  of  any  Kn<j:lis]Muan  of  mark 
at  the  time  having  professed  to  see  any  evidence  of 
capacity  and  strength  of  mind  in  Prince  Louis 
Napoleon." 

And  Mr.  M'Cartliy  quotes  this  rather  bitter  gibe  : 
"  Louis  Napoleon,"  said  a  member  of  the  family, 
"deceived  Europe  twice — first  when  he  succeeded  in 
passing  off  as  an  idiot,  and  next  when  he  succeeded  in 
passing  off  as  a  statesman."  We  are  not  given  tlie 
name  of  the  imperial  epigrammatist;  many  will  be 
dis])osed  to  attribute  it  to  the  Emperor's  candid  cousin, 
Prince  Jer«'»me  Napoleon. 

Mr.  John  Forster,  the  biographer  of  Dickens,  met 
Louis  Napoleon  at  dinner  at  Lady  Blessington's. 
The  Prince  had  recently  escaped  from  Ham  ;  he  had 
shaved  off  his  moustache,  and  "  his  lower  and  least- 
] (leasing  features  were  completely  exposed  under  the 
straggling  stubble  of  hair  beginning  again  to  show 
itself." 

To  Mr.  Sidney  Whitman  and  others  Prince 
Bismarck  expressed  the  opinion  that  Napoleon  IIL 
was  "overrated  in  intellect  and  underrated  in  heart." 

It  was  reserved  for  the  anonymous  author  of  "  An 
Englishman  in  Paris,"*  whom  some  at  first  thought  to 
*  London  :  Chapman  and  Hall. 


THE  EMPEROR'S  PERSONALITY         111 

have  been  the  late  Sir  Richard  Wallace,  of  Hertford 
House  celebrity,  to  give  a  matchless  word-portrait  of 
Louis  Napoleon  before  he  became  Prince-President — 
matchless  for  its  bluntness  and  also  for  its  Hogarthian 
detail.  The  Prince  was  staying  at  the  Hotel  du  Rhin, 
Place  Vendome,  and,  says  the  "  Englishman  "  : 

"  I  must  own  I  Avas  disappointed.  Though  I  had  not 
the  slightest  ground  for  expecting  to  see  a  fine  man,  I 
did  not  expect  to  see  so  utterly  an  insignificant  one, 
and  badly  dressed  in  the  bargain.  .  .  .  And  yet  Lord 
Normanby,  and  a  good  many  more,  who  have  said 
that  he  looked  every  inch  a  King,  were  not  altogether 
wrong.  .  .  .  Louis  Napoleon's  legs  seemed  to  have 
been  an  afterthought  of  his  Creator  ;  they  were  too 
short  for  his  body,  and  his  head  appeared  constantly 
bent  down  to  supervise  their  motion  ;  consequently 
their  owner  was  always  at  a  disadvantage  when  com- 
pelled to  make  use  of  them.  But  when  standing  still 
or  on  horseback  there  was  an  indescribable  something 
about  the  man  which  at  once  commanded  attention. 
.  .  .  Louis  Napoleon  was  leaning  in  his  favourite 
attitude  against  the  mantelpiece,  smoking  the  scarcely 
ever  absent  cigarette,  and  pulling  at  the  heavy  brown 
moustache,  the  ends  of  which,  in  those  days,  were  not 
waxed  into  points  as  they  were  later  on.  There  was 
not  the  remotest  likeness  to  any  portrait  of  the  Bona- 
parte family  I  had  ever  seen.  He  wore  his  thin  lank 
hair  much  longer  than  he  did  afterwards.  The  most 
startling  features  were  decidedly  the  aquiline  nose  and 
the  eyes.  The  latter,  of  a  grayish-blue,  were  com- 
paratively small  and  somewhat  almond-shaped,  but, 
except  at  rare  intervals,  there  was  an  impenetrable 
look,  which  made  it  exceedingly  difficult,  if  not  impos- 
sible, to  read  their  owner's  thoughts  by  them.  If  they 
were  the  '  windows  of  his  soul,'  their  Ijlinds  were  con- 
stantly down." 

When  the  "  Englishman  "  looked  into  the  Prince's 
face,  lie  "  felt  almost  tempted  to  put  him  down  as  an 


112  KMIM^KSS;  ErCRNIK 

opium-eater,  rm  minutes  af'teiNvards  1  felt  convinced 
that,  to  use  a  mctaplior,  lie  liimself  was  tlie  drug,  and 
that  everyone  witli  whom  he  came  in  contact  was  hound 
to  viehl  to  its  influence."  Cavais;nac,  Thiers,  Lamartine, 
and  lluutt.  with  others,  "  who  wanted  to  make  a  cat's- 
paw  of  him,  thought  Louis  Napoleon  cither  an  iml>ecile 
or  a  secret  drunkard," 

Louis  Napoleon  must  have  greatly  changed  in  seven 
vears,or  *'  An  Englishman  in  Paris"  wrote  under  a  com- 
plete misapprehension  of  the  Prince's  real  character,  for 
in  I800  Queen  Victoria,  in  her  remarkahle  "  Memoran- 
dum," drawn  up  at  Buckingham  Palace,  ohserves  : 

"  It  is  therefore  the  more  astounding,  indeed  almost 
incomprehensihle,  that  he  [the  Emperor]  should  show 
all  those  powers  of  government,  and  all  that  wonderful 
tact  in  his  conduct  and  manners  Avhich  he  evinces,  and 
which  many  a  King's  son,  nurtured  in  ])alaces  and 
educated  in  the  midst  of  affairs,  never  succeeds  in 
attaining."* 

"  Le  Petit  Homme  Rouge,"!  ^^^^  c>ne  English 
historian  of  the  Imperial  Court  from  1852  till  1870 
whose  work  is  of  value,  portrays  Louis  Napoleon,  at 
the  age  of  forty-four,  when  Prince- President,  as 
rather  helow  middle  height,  with  an  almost  colourless 
face  and  dark  chestnut  hair.  "  His  almost  black  eyes 
seldom  looked  one  in  the  face,  and  in  later  years  were 
half  closed  and  expressionless.  He  had  physical 
vigour,  and  personal  courage  ;  a  dreamy,  imaginative 
mind  ;  and  a  very  amorous,  sensual  temperament," 
which  some  authorities  assert  was  inherited  from  his 

♦  "The  Letters  of  Queen  Victoria,"  vol.  iii.,  p.  122.  London: 
John  Murray,  1908. 

t  "The  Court  of  the  Tuileries."  By  Le  Petit  Homme  Rouge. 
Chatto  and  Windus,  1907. 


THE  EMPEROR'S  PERSONALITY        113 

mother.  "  His  foster-sister,  Mme.  Cornii,  said  he  had 
no  moral  sense  whatever,  but,  by  reason  of  his  position, 
he  exerted  himself  to  keep  his  passions  under  control 
(in  which  he  did  not  always  succeed)."  The 
moustache  was  originally  "  a  medium  brown,  but  in 
later  years  it  was  for  a  time  darkened  by  a  dye  to 
conceal  greyness."  "  He  was  not  the  savage  brute 
suggested  by  Hugo  in  the  '  Chatiments.'  " 

Music,  or  rather  operatic  music,  evidently  did  not 
appeal  to  Napoleon  IH.,  for  M.  Ludovic  Halevy,  who 
died  in  May,  1908,  records,  in  his  diverting  "  Notes  et 
Souvenirs,"  that  the  Emperor  was  seldom  seen  in  his 
box  at  the  Grand  Opera,  despite  the  remonstrances  of 
his  friends.  "  It  is  your  theatre,"  they  would  say  ; 
"  a  Sovereign  ought  to  show  himself  there  ;  the  Opera 
comes  within  the  category  of  imperial  functions." 
To  this  pressure  the  Emperor  occasionally  succumbed. 
Scarcely  had  he  taken  his  seat  than  he  fell  into  a  sort 
of  torpor.  From  time  to  time  the  Empress  tapped  him 
on  the  shoulder  with  her  fan,  whispering  a  few  words 
to  him.  Then  he  glanced  round  the  house,  smiled 
vaguely  at  his  consort,  and  relapsed  into  his  dream. 

An  Englishman,  known  to  me,  who  had  an  audience 
of  the  Emperor  at  the  Tuileries,  narrated  this  little 
incident  in  piquant  fashion  : 

"  Napoleon  III.,  with  that  slow  and  awkward  gait 
peculiar  to  him,  enters  the  room,  and  approaches 
you,  and,  if  you  be  a  personal  friend  or  foreigner 
of  distinction,  frankly  extends  his  hand  in  recognition 
of  your  deep  obeisance.  If  your  business  be  political 
or  purely  social.  His  Majesty  will  probably  consume 
countless  cigarettes  after  having  invited  you  to  join 
him  ;  but  if  the  matter  in  hand  be  a  commercial 
one,  there  will  be  no  smoking,  and  nothing  but  re- 
ceptive  reserve   on    His    Majesty's   part.      The   last 


114  EMrilKSS  EUGENIE 

words  \ on  hear  fonn  a  kind  rcniiiidcr  that  V(»ii  art* 
expecti'il  at  ( 'oiupir^in'.  '  Wt-  an-  to  have  private 
tliratricals.  riiilij>|H'  di'  Massa  i;ivi's  us  a  C(tiuedy, 
or  a  rrri/«\ov  somct  hiiii;- of  that  kind,  and  the  Empress} 
has  asked  Mme.  de  Metteniicli  auionu;  otlicrs.  C'est 
tout  dire,  u'est  ee  pas  ?"*  lie  a(hls  witli  a  suiile. 

Tlu'  pieee  performed  ])roved  to  be  "  Les  Com- 
mentaires  de  Ct'sar,"  with  tlie  Prince  Imperial  in 
tlie  part  of  a  full-uniformed  grenadier,  and  Princesse 
Pauline  Metternich  as  a  vivandiere  of  the  Turcos, 
with  a  sonu^  which  had  a  iireat  vosrue  : 

"  Je  suis  line  guerri6re, 

Au  cceur,  au  cceur  joyeux  ; 
La  vi,  la  vivandiere 
Des  Turcos  bleus." 

Napoleon  III.  was,  it  would  seem,  about  the  same 
hei2:ht  as  his  renowned  uncle.  Our  "  En2:lisliman  " 
thought  the  nephew  utterly  undistinguished  in  appear- 
ance— a  remark  which  reminds  one  of  what  Peltier 
said  of  Bonaparte  when,  on  January  4,  1798  (15 
nivose,  an  ^  1.),  he  attended  a  public  meeting  of  the 
Institut  National  and  was  elected  a  member.  Neither 
his  lii;ure,  nor  his  features,  nor  his  bearing,  made  him 
more  noticeal)le  than  other  men,  yet  "all  eyes  were 
upon  him,'  Mercier  describes  him  as  of  average 
height,  with  a  slight  stoop,  "  rather  delicately 
corpulent,"  the  hair  of  a  dark  chestnut,  pressed  down 
over  the  large  forehead  ;  large  brown  eyes,  bright 
and  prominent  ;  an  aquiline  nose,  the  chin  turning 
upwards,  "  like  that  of  Apollo  Belvedere,"  pale  com- 
plexion, sunken  cheeks,  the  voice  loud  and  mannered. 
Plis  air  was  grave,  serious  as  Cato's,  yet  frank,  with 
none  of  that  austerity  which  characterized  the  head  of 
Brutus.     When,  in  Italy,  his  generals  asked  him  how 


THE  EMPEROR'S  PERSONALITY        115 

he  would  occupy  himself  when  peace  sent  them  all 
home,  Bonaparte  said  he  should  shut  himself  up  and 
work,  in  the  hope  that  some  day  he  might  be  deemed 
worthy  of  membership  of  the  Institut  !  His  nephew 
was  equally  a  student.  We  know  that  his  literary 
output  during  his  six  years'  captivity  at  Ham  wa? 
very  considerable. 

Mme.  Cornu's  letters*  show  in  great  detail  the 
intellectual  side  of  Louis  Napoleon's  life  while  he  was 
at  Ham.  It  was  Louis  Philippe,  said  Mme.  Cornu, 
who  made  Louis  Napoleon  a  man  of  letters,  but  during 
the  sixth  year  of  his  imprisonment  he  exhibited  signs 
of  exhaustion.  "  He  would  have  become  stupid, 
perhaps  mad,  if  his  captivity  had  continued."  He 
had  not  been  very  long  at  Ham  before  he  had  com- 
pleted the  "Notes  sur  les  Amorces  Fulminantes  et  sur 
les  Attelages.  Par  le  Prince  Napoleon  Louis  Bona- 
parte," and  requested  the  commandant  of  the  fortress 
to  send  a  copy  of  the  work  to  Marshal  Soult.  In  the 
same  year  he  wrote  to  ask  his  foster-sister's  acceptance 
of  another  work  which  he  had  published  ;  this  was 
"Fragments  Historiques,  1688  et  1830,"  the  first 
edition  of  which  was  registered  in  the  "  Bibliographic 
de  la  France"  in  June,  1841.  His  letters  to  Mme. 
Cornu  are  full  of  allusions  to  "  proofs,"  books  and 
manuscripts  which  he  required,  and  so  on.  They 
show  his  amazing  intellectual  activity  throughout  his 
long  captivity. 

In  June,  1841,  he  confided  to  Mme.  Cornu  that  he 
had  a  "  great  project  "  in  his  head — that  was,  to  write 
a  life  of  Charlemagne.  "  Will  you,"  he  wrote,  "  do 
me   a   great   service  :    ask    Professor    Schlosser,   of 

*  "La  Revue"  (Paris),  November  to  December,  1909.  By 
Seymour  de  Ricci. 

8—2 


II.-.  EMPRESIS  EUOEAME 

ll(.'iili'll)L'ru:,  to  i;iv(.'  \\\c  a  list  of  (Jornian  hooks,  or 
records,  which  are  neressary  for  the  writing  of  sucli  a 
work  ?  1  sliall  hv  grateful  also  for  all  the  ideas  which 
you  yourself  can  give  me  on  the  sul)ject." 

Acknowledging  a  letter  containing  his  foster-sister's 
New  Year  wishes  (1843)  and  some  joiies  petites 
c/ioses,  the  Triiuu^  wrote  : 

"  Do  not  think  you  are  dealing  with  an  iugrat.  I 
thoroughly  appreciate  you,  and  I  love  you  de  tnute 
ro/rc  valcur — that  is  to  say,  30  carats  !  .  .  .  I  am 
in  the  way  of  making  a  great  discovery,  a  new  appli- 
cation of  galvanism  to  industry.  I  am  not  sure  if  I 
shall  succeed,  but  the  mere  hope  that  I  shall  amuses 
me.  Yes,  hope — that  is  the  real  divine  fiame  which 
aniuiates  us  all  and  changes  unhappiness  to  joy,  the 
desert  into  a  fertile  plain.  I  have  never  abandoned 
hope." 

In  1842  Captain  Jean  Baptiste  Brunethad  published 
a  work  entitled  "  Histoire  Generale  de  TArtillerie." 
i\Ime.  Cornu,  whom  nothing  escaped,  sent  her  cajDtive 
foster-brother  a  review  of  the  book  by  one  Major 
Renard  ;  and  the  Prince  WTote  (1845)  : 

"  Major  Renard's  notice  much  pleased  me,  and  gave 
me  a  high  opinion  of  the  capacity  of  its  author.  I  should 
much  like  to  have  the  inventory  of  the  artillery  at 
Ghent  in  1390,  and  more  especially  the  [financial] 
accounts  of  that  town  which  are  to  be  found  in  the  his- 
torical archives  of  the  fourteenth  century,  collected  by 
M.  Lenz  and  referred  to  by  Major  Renard.  In  my 
work  I  shall  not  be  so  lenient  as  Renard  to  Captain 
Brunet,  who  has  written,  not  a  history,  but  a  romance. 
I  am  returning  your  box  [of  books],  retaining  only 
'  Naude,'  '  GuiJlaume  de  Tyr,'  *  L'lnstruction  His- 
tori(jue,'  and  the  '  Jouvencel.'  As  to  the  two  large 
manuscripts  which  I  return  you,  there  has  been  a 
mistake,  for  in  No.  7534  I  do  not  find  the  '  Roman ' 


THE  EMPEKOKS  PERSONALITY       117 

by  Claris,  nor  anything  resembling  it,  and  in  the 
'  Chroniqiies  Martiniennes '  there  is  nothing  but  a 
history  of  the  Popes  which  is  quite  uninteresting,  not 
even  mentioning  the  Battle  of  Saint  Jacques  (1444) 
or  the  reign  of  Charles  VII.  M.  Quicherat  has  made 
a  mistake.  I  particularly  want  some  information 
about  this  battle,  of  which  M.  Michelet  speaks  ;  but 
do  not  try  to  find  the  '  Roman '  l3y  Claris,  for  I  have 
more  interesting  works  to  consult.  Send  me,  if 
possible,  the  books  for  which  I  asked  in  my  last 
letter.  ...  M.  Renard  indicates  some  sources  which 
I  will  ask  you  about  later,  as  I  do  not  want  to  over- 
burden you  with  my  requests.  ...  I  am  now  finishing 
my  first  volume,  but  I  am  in  urgent  need  of  some 
further  details.  Try  especially  to  send  me  the  two 
manuscripts  which  I  mentioned  in  my  last  letter — 
Guido  du  Vigevano  and  Bartolomeo  Carusi." 

The  above  was  written  in  January,  1845.  In  May, 
1846,  he  sent  Mme.  Cornu  some  finally  revised  proofs 
of  his  new  book,  with  the  remark  that  a  fatality 
surrounded  his  work.  His  eyes  had  been  giving  him 
much  trouble,  and  this  trouble — a  dilation  of  the  pupil, 
"  mais  ce  ne  sera  pas  grand'chose,  j'espere  " — had 
prevented  him  from  writing  anything  for  several  days. 
"  I  have  written  to  Dumaine  to  send  you  all  the  proofs 
with  the  copy^  and  not  to  send  me  any  more  direct. 
Please,  for  the  next  few  days,  send  me  only  the 
second  proofs,  corrected." 

That  was  his  last  letter  from  Ham.  It  was  dated 
May  24.  The  next  morning  he  escaped  from  the 
fortress,  disguised  in  the  blouse  of  the  workman 
Badinguet,  and  on  the  31st  he  addressed,  from 
London,  a  letter  to  Mme.  Cornu,  beginning  : 

"  You  must  have  been  astonished  at  the  step  which  I 
took  suddenly.  In  my  opinion  it  was  the  best  thing  I 
could  do  to  make  an  end  of  it.     Luckily,  everything 


118  FMPIJESS  EUGENIE 

siKH'eedeil  as  I  had  desired.  I  hope  to  ho  ahh^  to 
rejoin  my  father  at  Mt»reiu'e  innnediately.  Hut  what 
j)arti('idarl\  urii'ves  nie  is  that  1  liave  not  finished 
my  first  vohinie.  Here  I  can,  of  course,  go  on  with  it 
at  tlie  lihrary  witli  more  ease  than  at  Ham,  l)ut  if  I  go 
to  l"h)renet'  I  shall  he  nuich  delayed.  Desides,  as  I 
told  you,  I  am  still  unahle  to  see  with  one  eye. 
Yesterday  the  oculist  told  me  to  put  some  leeches  on 
it  :  that  much  worries  me.  I  should  therefore  like 
Dumaine  to  publish,  us  a  first  part,  all  my  '  copy  ' 
which  he  now  has,  and  which  completes  the  period  of 
Louis  XIV.  I  hope,  my  dear  Hortense,  despite  the 
distance  which  separates  us,  and  my  departure,  which 
perhaps  did  not  enter  into  your  head,  you  will  continue 
to  help  me  with  my  work,  and  contimie  the  friendship 
which  I  so  highly  value.  T  really  do  not  know  where 
you  can  send  me  the  third  proofs,  for  here,  I  under- 
stand, nothing  can  come  in  a  wrapper  except  at  an 
enormous  expense.  I  will  inquire  about  this.  As  to 
the  details  of  my  journey,  they  have  been  given  in  the 
newspapers,  and  I  do  not  think  it  would  interest  you 
to  repeat  them.  I  arranged  everything  so  well  that 
eight  hours  after  leaving  Ham  I  was  in  Belgium,  and 
twelve  hours  later  I  was  in  England,  It  was  like  a 
dream.  I  have  not  had  any  news  of  good  Conneau. 
He  was  more  dead  than  alive  the  morning  I  left — not 
on  his  own  account,  but  on  mine.  I  hope  they  will 
not  be  too  hard  upon  him.  Send  me  some  news  about 
him.  Before  I  left  I  arranged  about  the  children,*  and 
I  left  Aly  to  do  as  she  liked  with  them  until  they  are 
old  enough  to  go  to  school.     Bon  [Philippe  Le  Bon, 

*  While  he  was  in  captivity  at  Ham  the  Prince  became  the 
father  of  three  sons,  for  all  of  whom  he  provided.  One,  who  was 
made  Comte  de  Labenne,  died  in  1882  ;  and  another,  Comte  d'Orx, 
in  February,  1910,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight.  The  mother  was 
Alexandrine  Vergeot,  who  had  waited  on  the  Prince  at  Ham.  She 
is  .said  to  have  ultimately  married  a  M.  Bure,  who  became  Paymaster 
in  the  imperial  household.  The  children  bore  the  surname  of 
Bure.     No  attempt  was  made  to  conceal  their  origin. — Author. 


THE  EMPEROR'S  PERSONALITY        119 

the  Prince's  former  tutor]  knows  my  intentions  respect- 
ing them.  Here  people  have  been  very  good  to  me, 
and,  generally  speaking,  say  I  was  right  [in  escaping] . 
Let  me  know  the  effect  my  departure  has  had  in  Paris, 
and  what  people  are  saying." 

Before  the  Prince  escaped  from  Ham,  Louis 
Philippe  had  abdicated  and  the  Republic  had  been 
proclaimed.  On  June  30  the  Prince  wrote  from 
London  to  Mme.  Cornu  referring  to  the  terrible 
events  in  Paris  : 

"  How  I  congratulate  myself  that  I  resigned  ;  had 
I  not  done  so,  I  should  undoubtedly  have  been 
made  the  pretext  for  this  horrible  battle.  Despite 
that,  however,  I  know  that  I  have  been  calum- 
niated, and  that  it  has  been  said  that  I  supported 
the  imeute.  But  I  am  not  much  perturbed  by  reports 
which  will  be  cleared  up  by  facts.  We  live  in  terrible 
times,  and  wherever  I  look  I  see  nothing  but  an  early 
dissolution  of  society.  Meantime  my  heart  refuses  to 
believe  what  my  eyes  see,  and  I  still  hope  that  France 
will  emerge  triumphantly  from  this  gdchis  of  mud  and 
blood.  "^ 

The  features  and  pose  of  Louis  Napoleon  readily 
lent  themselves  to  the  art  of  the  caricaturist.  From 
the  Coup  dEtat  down  to  almost  his  last  days,  the 
satirists  pursued  him  with  their  relentless  pencils.  It 
was  said  of  the  innumerable  caricatures  of  the  Emperor 
published  in  Germany  in  1870-71  that  there  was 
nothing  savage  or  ungenerous  about  them.  Even  the 
almanac  of  a  hundred  pages  issued  at  the  beginning  of 
1871  by  Kladderadatsch  was  singularly  moderate. 
The  "  baptism  of  lire"  episode  at  Saarbriicken  was  made 
the  most  of,  and  furnished  a  text  for  the  most  bitter 
invective  against  the  Emperor,  Empress,  and  Prince 
*  "  La  Revue."     By  Seymour  de  Ricci. 


120  KM  PRESS  EUGENIE 

lnij>i'rial.  Tlic  ))()v,  woariiii::  ;i  n:i])or  {rocked  liat,  was 
lu'lil  in  the  :irnis  of  ;i  ^riiuiiiiu-  rurco  to  sit  tlio  hiirn- 
iiiij  town  i)»I()\v  (as  :i  matter  of  fact,  Saarbriicken 
never  was  hunit).  the  soldirrs  lyini»down  and  smoking, 
all  enioyiiiLC  it  as  if  it  was  some  spectacle.  It  was 
lei::itimate  to  make  miicli  fun  of  the  Na})oleonic  hoots 
(jack-hoots,  such  as  the  Emperor  certainly  never 
wore  in  tlu'  campaiun)  and  the  cocked  hat,  which 
were  shown  tossing  about  on  the  waves  of  the 
Channel,  the  Em])eror  clinging  to  one  l)oot,  the 
Empress  to  the  other,  out  of  which  "  Lulu  "  furtively 
peeped.  Then  there  was  a  picture  of  a  menagerie  ; 
one  compartment  was  inscribed  "  Leo-pard,"  the  next 
"  Bona-pard  (Corsica),"  behind  which  was  Napoleon 
clutching  the  bars  of  the  cage,  wdiile  "  Lulu  "  hopped 
about  as  a  chained  monkey.  In  another  cage  appeared 
the  peacock  (Spain),  the  Empress  strutting  with  a 
magnificent  tail,  while  outside  was  King  William  (not 
yet  Kaiser)  as  the  shoW'man,  whip  in  hand.  The 
"  Napoleonometer "  showed  the  changes  of  the  Em- 
peror's countenance,  marked  on  a  graduated  scale,  as 
news  of  one  defeat  after  the  other  reached  him.  The 
first  "  wire  "  had  told  of  the  "  victory  "  at  Saarbriicken 
on  August  2  ;  this  evoked  a  smirk  of  satisfaction. 
After  the  news  of  the  Battle  of  Weissenberg  there  was 
a  twinge  of  doubt  and  uneasiness  ;  after  Worth,  a 
draggled,  scared  look  ;  the  fighting  around  Metz 
changed  the  Emperor's  face  into  that  of  an  old  man — 
the  moustache  out  of  curl,  the  hair  standing  on  end, 
the  heavy  jaws  sunk.  For  Sedan  there  was  a  double- 
page  picture,  the  Emperor  being  represented  as  a 
battered  old  Frenchman  surrendering  his  sword  to  the 
King,  Bismarck,  and  Moltke. 

The  German  caricaturists  had  made  Napoleon  III. 


THE  EMPEROR'S  PERSONALITY        121 


a  target  for  their  barbed  shafts  all  through  the  sixties, 
at  a  period  when  the  democratic  papers  were  reproach- 
ing Bismarck  for  treading  in  the  Emperor's  footsteps ! 
In  a  caricature  published  by  the  Frankfdrter  Latern 
in  1863,  Bismarck  appeared  as  "  The  New  Bliicher." 
In  a  cavalry  uniform  he  was  riding  on  a  Gallic  cock, 
the  saddle  inscribed,  "  Eisen  und  Blut."  Napoleon  III. 
figured  in  the  Munich  Punsch^  in  1863,  in  a  classical 
subject  ;  the  Emperor  as  Clytemnestra,  Bismarck  as 
Egistha,  preparing  to  give  the  coup  de  grace  to  the 
Zollverein,  which  preceded  the  Confederation  of 
1867.  Bismarck,  pulling  back  the  curtain,  behind 
which  was  the  fi2:ure  of  the  victim  on  a  couch,  had  in 
his  left  hand  a  sword.  He  was  evidently  "  infirm  of 
purpose,"  for  Napoleon  (a  podgy,  dwarfish  figure), 
with  one  hand  on  the  hilt  of  the  sword  and  the  other 
on  Bismarck's  shoulder,  was  urging  him  on  with  the 
sarcasm  :  "  Joli  coco,  par  ma  foi  !      Et  ca  voudrait 

etre  mon  ami  !     Reviens-y,  et  je  te  fl un  coup  de 

pied  quelque  part.  Tu  n'est  point  digne  que  Ton 
compromette  pour  toi  sa  mauvaise  reputation."  The 
artist  had  given  Napoleon  a  huge  hooked  nose,  and 
that  organ  did  not  decrease  in  size  in  the  thousands  of 
subsequent  caricatures. 

In  another  of  the  same  journal's  caricatures  (1865), 
Bismarck,  in  the  character  of  an  old-clothes  man, 
entered  a  room  in  which  Napoleon  III.  was  seated 
reading.  Across  the  intruder's  shoulders  was  a  large 
bag,  inscribed  "  North  Schleswig  "  and  "  Rhein." 
"  Have  you  anything  to  exchange  ?"  he  inquired  ; 
"  do  you  want  to  buy  anything  ?"  "  Thank  you," 
replied  the  Emperor,  "but  I  never  buy  stolen  goods." 
"  What  do  you  mean  by  stolen  ?  Did  you  bring  into 
the  world  when  you  were  born  all  the  pro})erty  you 


122  KMIMJKSS   KIT(JRNIK 

now  possess  ?  Vot  you  havf  sonu*  vcrv  nicr  tliinas  !" 
Nnpolooii  :    *' Coiiu'  hack  whru  it's  dark!" 

In'twi'cii  Im;?  and  ls7(>.  it  is  iH'niai-kal)l('  that 
I^iMuarck  vcrv  si'hhun.  if  ever,  appeared  in  the 
Spanish.  Italian.  Knulisii.  or  Anicrican  caricatures, 
whih»  the  face  of  Napoleon  111.  apj)eared  evervwliere, 
the  nose,  as  usual,  ahsurdly  Ixnnlu'.  The  Spanish 
artists  represented  him  as  a  veritahle  Pnnidiinello. 
The  caricaturists  had  no  grudge  against  Prussia  ;  the 
man  they  never  left  alone  was  the  Emperor  of  the 
French,  The  leading  German  journal  of  caricature 
was  then,  as  now,  the  Berlin  Kliiddcradittscli^  which 
Napoleon  II F.  read  regularly.  This  need  not  surprise 
us,  for  Queen  Victoria  found  the  Emperor  "  as  unlike 
a  Frrnr/r?n(in  as  ])ossihle,  heing  much  more  Germnn 
than  French  in  character  "  (the  italics  are  the  (Queen's) ; 
while  the  "  Englishman  in  Paris  "  said  the  Emperor's 
"  English  was  that  of  an  educated  German  who  had 
taken  great  i)ains  to  get  the  right  accent  and  pro- 
nunciation, without,  however,  completely  succeeding, 
and  when  I  heard  him  speak  French  I  detected  at 
once  his  constant  stru2:2:le  with  the  same  difficulties." 
The  critic  had  evidently  overlooked  the  fact  that  the 
Em})er()r  had  received  his  early  education  in  Germany, 
at  the  Augshurg  Gymnasium.  AVhile,  however,  the 
Emperor  was  deeply  interested  in,  and  prohably 
amused  by,  Kladderadatsch ^  it  did  not  please  him  to 
know  that  it  was  to  ])e  found  at  all  the  great  caf^s. 
The  satirical  journals  of  Italy  and  Spain — to  mention 
no  others — were  rigorously  stopped  at  the  frontier  ; 
yet  the  mordant  Kladderadatsch  seems  to  have  been 
allowed  to  circulate  freely. 

The  Emperor's  desire  for  a  ({uiet  life,  which,  how- 
ever,  he    did    not    over-exert    himself   to   secure,    is 


THE  EMPEKOR'S  PERSONALITY        123 

illustrated  by   an  anecdote  narrated  by  a  personage 
who  is  described  as  "  one  of  the  famous  '  Five.'  "* 

Whenever  it  was  possible  for  him  to  snatch  a 
respite  from  the  official  round  at  the  Tuileries,  the 
Emperor  liked  nothing  better  than  to  seek  out  his 
cousin,  Prince  Napoleon,  in  the  Palais  Royal,  and  chat 
over  a  cigarette.  One  afternoon  the  narrator  of  the 
incident  happened  to  be  with  the  Prince  in  his  study, 
when  two  or  three  gentle  taps  were  heard  at  a  secret 
door  which  gave  access  to  a  long  passage  leading  from 
the  Palais  Royal  to  the  Tuileries. 

"  Come  in,"  said  the  Prince  ;  the  door  opened,  the 
Emperor  entered,  and  the  Prince's  visitor  rose  to  take 
leave.  The  Emperor,  however,  begged  him  to  remain, 
and  he  was  naturally  nothing  loath.  After  the  exchange 
of  a  few  commonplaces,  the  Emperor,  standing  before 
the  tire  and  lia:htino;  a  ciorarette,  said  to  his  cousin  : 
"  Tell  me.  Napoleon,  does  thy  wife  ever  make  scenes  i 

The  Prince,  rather  surprised  at  this  question,  looked 
at  the  Emperor  for  a  moment,  and  then  replied : 
"  What  scenes  could  she  make  ?" 

"  Scenes  of  jealousy,  for  instance." 

"  No  I" 

"  That's  very  strange,"  continued  the  Emperor, 
"  for  thou  art  a  mauvais  mjet^  Napoleon  ;  everybody 
knows  that,  and  Clotilde  cannot  ignore  it." 

"  It's  true,"  said  the  Prince  philosophically  ;  "  I  am 
what  you  say.  Sire,  and  doubtless  my  wife  knows  my 
habits.  But  why  should  Clotilde  worry  about  it  ? 
Why  should  she  reproach  me  ?  Was  not  Victor 
timmanuel  also  un  coureur  de  guilledou  f  She  knows 
it.  And  as  her  husband,  in  this  respect,  reseml)les 
her  father,  she  ought  in  justice  to  remember  that  it  is 
always  so  with  Kings." 

*  "  Les  Cinq  "  consisted  of  Emile  OUivier,  Jules  Favre,  Henon, 
Dariraon,  and  Picard,  all  in  opposition  at  the  time  they  were  so 
styled. 


T\\r  I'mptTor  smiled. 

"  rinui  :irt  a  siiiiiuhir  ni(ir;»Iist,"  lie  said,  "  and  tlioii 
art  a  liaj>jiv  man.  1  wisli  1  liad  a  wife  like  vours. 
Life  is  impossible  with  Kiis^enie.  I  cannot  receive  a 
visit  from  a  lady  or  iilance  at  a  ))etti('oat  without 
inciirriuL:;  the  risk  of  a  violent  (juarrel.  Tlu'  lMuj)ress's 
lamentations  eelio  throii<i^li  the  Tuileries."  There  was 
silenee  Un-  a  few  seconds;  then  the  Emjieror  con- 
tinued :  **  Tell  me,  Napoleon,  dost  not  thou  know  any 
way  of  preventing  Eugenie  from  being  so  (piancl- 
somo  ?" 

riie  Prince  refiecteil  for  a  moment;  then,  with  his 
wonted  brusqueness,  answered:  "There  is  only  one 
way,  Sire." 

"  And  that  is " 

"  To  give  your  wife  a  good  slap])ing  the  next  time 
she  makes  a  scene  in  your  presence  !" 

riie  Emperor  shook  his  head  sadly,  but  for  the 
moment  took  no  other  notice  of  his  cousin's  out- 
spokenness, which  he  so  much  appreciated  ordinarily. 
Then  he  murmured  simply  :  "  You  do  not  mean  that? 
If  I  only  threatened  Eugenie,  she  is  capable  of  opening 
the  window  and  shrieking  '  Murder!'"* 

Bismarck  said  all  that  was  necessary  for  a  Sovereign 
was  a  knowledge  of  foreign  languages  and  how 
to  ride — he  need  not  bother  about  anything  else. 
Napoleon  III.  was  certainly  a  good  linguist  and  first- 
rate  in  the  saddle.  He  appears,  however,  on  his  own 
admission,  to  have  been  an  indifferent  Latinist. 
Entering  the  Prince  Imperial's  study  one  day,  he  found 
his  son  engrossed  in  a  Latin  exercise,  poring  over 
Noel's  big  Latin-French  dictionary.  "  Ah,"  said  he 
symjiathetically  to  the  perplexed  boy,  "  these  Latin 
translations  are  very  trou])lesome — I  could  never  do 
them  myself."     The   shocked  tutor,  feeling  that,  in 

*  "  L'lmperatrice  Eugenic."  By  Pierre  de  Lauo.  Paris :  Victor 
Havard.     1894. 


THE  EMPEKOK'S  PERSONALITY        125 

the  interest  of  his  pupil,  for  the  credit  of  the  Emperor, 
and  for  the  reputation  of  the  classics,  it  was  necessary 
for  him  to  say  something,  murmured  respectfully  : 
"  Yet  your  Majesty  has  made  an  admirable  translation 
of  '  CtBsar's  Commentaries.'  "  "  It  isn't  mine,"  replied 
the  Emperor,  and  retired,  leaving  M,  Monnier  to  ex- 
plain to  the  astonished  Prince  that  this  was  one  of  his 
father's  jokes,  and  that  he  really  knew  Latin  as  well 
as  any,  and  probably  better  than  most,  of  the  pro- 
fessors at  the  Sorbonne. 


CHAPTER  VII 

NAPOLEON  III.  AT  SEDAN  AND  AT  WILHELMSHOHE* 

German  papers  vie  with  each  other  in  recalling  the 
anniversary  of  Sedan  [September  1,  LS'O].  If  every 
true  French  heart  bleeds  at  the  thoiio-ht  of  that  tratjic 
day,  no  one  has  the  right  to  banish  these  poignant 
souvenirs.  The  causes  and  results  of  this  sombre 
drama  have  been  so  widely  discussed  that  one  hardly 
knows  how  to  approach  the  subject,  except  by  pro- 
ducing fresh  evidence.  It  is  this  evidence,  which  is 
stamped  upon  my  memory,  having  heard  it  with  my 
own  ears,  or  having  collected  it  from  letters  written 
to  my  father  [the  late  General  Comte  Fleury,  who 
had  been  Ambassador  of  France  at  the  Russian  Court] 
the  day  after  the  catastrophe,  that  I  will  now  bring 
forward. 

I  particularly  remember  General  Vicomte  Pajol 
narrating  the  tragic  story  in  my  father's  study,  Rue 
du  Cirque.  He  stood  in  front  of  the  equestrian 
portrait  of  Xapoleon  III.  (by  Alfred  de  Dreux),  and 

=*"  These  valuable  human  documents  are  from  the  brilliant  pen  of 
Comte  Fleury,  son  of  General  Fleury,  the  devoted  friend  of 
Napoleon  III.,  Ambassador  to  Russia  in  1870,  and  thereafter  a 
frequent  visitor  at  Chislehurst.  These  interesting  and  intimate 
revelations  are  given  here  by  the  kind  permission  of  M.  Arthur 
Meyer,  to  whose  influential  and  popular  journal,  the  Gaidois,  they 
were  contributed  by  Comte  Fleury  in  1908. 

126 


NAPOLEON  ITT.  AT  SEDAN  127 

I  see  his  flashing  eyes,  his  heavy  moustache,  and  his 
energetic  gestures — I  see  also  those  eyes  wet  with 
tears  as  he  spoke  of  his  Sovereign.  General  Pajol 
did  not,  so  to  speak,  quit  the  Emperor  during  the 
whole  of  that  1st  of  September.  He  saw  him  remain 
for  nearly  five  hours  on  his  horse,  despite  the  fearful 
sufFerino;  which  caused  him  now  and  then  to  dismount 
and  lean  against  a  tree,  without  complaining,  his 
clenched  hand  the  sole  indication  that  what  he  was 
enduring  was  almost  beyond  his  strength  to  bear. 

The  Emperor  arrived  on  the  battle-field  at  the 
moment  when  Marshal  MacMahon  was  taken  away 
wounded.  He  stops  to  exchange  a  few  words  with 
MacMahon  and  General  de  Vassoigne,  then  continues 
his  way  to  ISazeilles.  The  shells  rain,  for  the  group 
of  officers  surrounding  the  Sovereign  had  not  failed 
to  attract  the  enemy's  attention.  The  Emperor  does 
not  wish  to  expose  his  staff  uselessly.  He  makes  the 
officers  take  shelter  near  the  village  of  Balan,  keeping 
by  his  side  only  General  Pajol,  Captain  d'Hendecourt, 
Commandant  Hepp,  and  Comte  Davilliers.  He  ad- 
vances under  the  crests  of  Moncelle.  The  rain  of 
shells  continues. 

"  The  Emperor,"  General  Pajol  said,  "  remained 
immovable,  as  if  waiting  for  one  of  the  projectiles  to 
hit  him." 

As  the  lines  of  marine  infantry — the  men  who 
fought  so  heroically  at  Bazeilles — retired,  the  Emperor 
sent  Captain  d'Hendecourt  to  ask  the  reason.  Scarcely 
had  he  gone  on  his  mission  than  he  was  killed  by  a 
shell  a  few  yards  from  the  Emperor.  On  the  heights 
of  Givonne,  General  de  Wimpffen  joins  the  Emperor. 
He  is  full  of  hope  and  of  illusions,  and  says  (General 
Pajol  remembers  the  exact  words)  :  "  Your  Majesty 


128  i:MriIKSS  EUnFATE 

inn>t  not  lu'  pert  iirlx'd.  In  :i  coiijilc  of  hours  I  sliall 
Ikinc  tlirowu  tlitui  into  llii'  Mciisc  !" 

riu'  l\!ii|n'n>r  j)osts  liimsi'ir  (»ii  the  lu-inlits  to  tlie 
It'll  of  the  l>ois  (If  la  (iarcnnc.  Tlicrt'  a<;aiii  the  shells 
fall  all  roiiiul  him.  A  shell  drojis  near  General  de 
Conrsoii,  another  near  (^aptain  de  Trecesson,  hoth 
olHcers  forniini:;  part  of  the  inijjerial  staflf.  The  horses 
rear,  and  two  fall  mortally  wonnded.  The  Emperor 
is  covered  with  smoke  and  dnst.  Death  ])assed  by, 
passed  incessantly,  reserving-  its  vi(;tim  for  a  still 
long-er  agony.  Listen  to  M.  Jeannerod,  the  corre- 
spondent of  the  Temps :  '^  The  Em])eror  wanted  to 
die  ;  the  fact  is  now  proved.  Death  passed  as  near 
to  him  as  to  Ney  on  the  plateau  of  Mont  Saint- Jean, 
when  the  bullets  which  he  called  obstinately  spared 
him  I 

When,  about  half-])ast  eleven,  the  Emperor  returned 
to  Sedan  in  order  to  confer  with  the  Marshal  [Mac- 
Mahon],  and  witli  the  intention  to  come  back  through 
the  gate  of  Mezieres,  more  than  30,000  disbanded 
soldiers  filled  the  streets.  The  avalanche  of  pro- 
jectiles kept  increasing.  A  shell  bursts  close  to  the 
Emperor's  horse  ;  the  Sovereign  is  covered  with  dust ; 
while  all  with  him  press  anxiously  forward,  believing 
that  he  is  killed.  "  Not  a  muscle  of  his  face  moved," 
says  M.  Jeannerod.  "  All  he  did  was  to  make  a 
gesture  to  stop  the  acclamations  with  which  he  was 
still  received," 

As  to  the  second  part  of  the  battle,  here  are  some 
curious  details  which  I  had  from  a  letter  written  by 
General  Faverot  de  Kerbrech.  Baron  Faverot,  then 
a  Captain,  had  been  detailed  for  duty  near  the 
Emperor  ;  then  he  was  made  orderly-officer  to  General 
Ducrot.    He  was  one  of  the  combatants  of  that  sombre 


NAPOLEON  III.  AT  SEDAN  129 

day,  and  saw  a  great  deal.  The  long  letter  which  he 
wrote  to  his  former  chief,  General  Fleury,  on  Sep- 
tember 8,  from  Mougienne,  on  the  road  from  Sedan 
to  Pont-k-Mousson,  is  full  of  valuable  information, 
and  completes  that  which  he  himself  published  a  few 
months  before  his  death. 

First  he  narrates  how  Ducrot,  whom  MacMahon 
nominated  Commander-in-Chief,  gave  the  order  to 
retreat  from  the  side  of  Illy — a  movement  which  was 
carried  out  in  good  order ;  then  how  General  de 
Wimpff en,  who  had  arrived  from  Algeria,  exhibited  an 
official  letter  from  the  Minister  giving  him  the  com- 
mand. Ducrot  bowed  before  these  superior  orders, 
but  he  gave  advice  to  General  de  Wimpffen,  demon- 
strating to  him  that  "  all  would  be  lost  if  we  did  not 
occupy  Illy,  that  our  line  of  retreat  was  cut,  and  that, 
finally,  we  should  be  hugged  by  the  Prussians  if  we 
did  not  keep  the  Mezieres  road." 

De  WimpfFen  was  of  a  different  opinion,  and  he 
disregarded  Ducrot's  view  of  the  situation.  Towards 
eleven  o'clock  Ducrot  again  insists  :  "  Let  me  make  a 
desperate  effort  at  the  side  of  Illy."  Wimpffen  con- 
sents. "  It  is  then,"  writes  Captain  Faverot,  "  that 
begins  the  splendid  multiple  role  of  General  Ducrot. 
This  man,  at  this  supreme  moment,  was  as  admirable 
as  Ney,  as  Murat.  He  sent  me  to  all  the  cavalry 
generals  to  explain  what  he  wanted  them  to  do. 
Death  was  certain — success  doubtful." 

Captain  Faverot  fulfils  his  mission.  Then  the 
artillery  is  brought  up,  and  finally  two  divisions  of 
infantry  were  to  come  to  the  support  of  General 
Douay,  who  was  half  smashed.  "  Then,"  continues 
Faverot,  "  we  returned  to  the  plateau,  where  the  shells 
fell  so  thickly  that  there  was  not  an  inch  of  ground 


lao  K.MI'KKSS  KUGENIK 

in  till'  i;i\iiu'  wliicli  was  uiitouclu'd.  riiiTc  \\v  ])laced 
our  l>atti'ries.  ...  At  this  luonient  the  cavalry 
di'hoiu'lu'd,  tlie  Chasseurs  d'Afriinu' leadini;-.  Diicrot, 
helievinj;-  tliat  tlic  1th  Division  was  foHowinL;-  him, 
places  himselt'  in  front  of  tlic  tirst  regiment  with 
General  Margueritte,  and  heads  the  charge.  The 
infantry  weakened.  With  extraordinarv  efforts  we 
t;ike  them  with  the  bayonet,  whilst  the  Chasseurs 
d'Afrique  charge." 

Captiiin  Faverot  was  sent  to  General  de  Galliffet. 
"Gallirt'et  was  admirable.  He  led  me  to  a  ravine 
behind  which  were  the  Prussians  ;  it  was  folly  to 
attack  them.  I  went  back  to  tell  the  General  so.  The 
General  returns  with  me,  and  shows  Galliffet  a  point 
favourable  to  a  charge.  We  ])ut  ourselves  at  the  head 
of  the  Hrst  s((uadron,  and  Galliffet  starts  at  a  gallop. 
Nothing  was  finer  than  the  sang-froid  and  the  fine 
figure  of  Galliffet,  elegant  and  tran(j[uil  in  the  midst 
of  this  deluge  of  shells  and  bullets.  He  and  Ducrot 
had  the  honours  of  the  day." 

I  ought  to  name  many  others.  One  cannot  forget 
General  Mars^ueritte,  fatallv  wounded  at  the  head  of 
his  squadrons.  "  We  are  smashed,  overw'helmed  by 
the  horror  of  what  passes,"  writes  Captain  Faverot  to 
my  father  ;  "  but,  General,  I  cannot  tell  you  how  proud 
1  am  of  these  two  men,  of  having  followed  them 
during  two  hours,  and  of  learning  what  intelligence 
and  bravery  can  do.  The  cavalry  was  superb  ;  their 
fate  tells  us  so.  Galliffet  lost  twenty-three  officers  out 
of  thirty-eiglit  ;  Bauffremont,  twenty-five  out  of  forty. 
The  artillery  was  very  fine.  With  a  handful  of 
general  officers  like  Ducrot,  with  two  brigades  of 
infantry,  we  should  have  taken  Illy,  and  France  would 
have   been  saved.     But,   despite  superhuman  efforts, 


NAPOLEON  ITT.  AT  SEDAN  131 

the  General  was  not  completely  followed,  Tt  was  too 
late — the  helter-skelter  had  begun.  Ducrot  himself 
returned  sadly  to  Sedan,  where  all  defence  was  useless, 
and  where  this  mass  of  men,  heaped  up  in  a  wash- 
hand  basin,  rendered  all  resistance  absurd." 

That  is  why,  a  sortie  having  become  impossible, 
the  Emperor,  reassuming  for  a  moment  the  authority 
of  which  he  had  been  despoiled,  ordered  tlie  white 
Hag  to  be  hoisted.  In  April,  1872,  the  Temps  avowed 
that  it  was  impossible  to  avoid  the  surrender  of  the 
60,000  men  heaped  up  in  the  town.  Replying  to 
a  vehement  article  in  the  Siecle,  J.  J.  Weiss  wrote  in 
the  Paris- Journal : 

"  In  view  of  the  scenes  before  his  eyes  the  Emperor 
remembered  that  he  was  Emperor,  and  that  he  alone 
would  be  called  to  account  for  so  many  useless 
horrors  if  he  let  them  continue  another  hour.  He 
ordered,  and  the  carnage  ceased.  That  is  what 
has  been  called  the  '  mud  of  Sedan ' !  We  shall 
have  the  honour  to  discuss  this  metaphor  on  the 
day  when  it  is  demonstrated  that  the  ghastly  phrase 
of  the  correspondent  of  the  Siecle,  '  they  marched 
over  the  wounded,'  was  only  a  figure  of  rhetoric," 

In  the  course  of  a  great  political  trial,  shortly  after- 
wards, the  president  of  the  court,  Drouet  d'Arcq,  when 
summing  up,  said:  "  As  to  the  white  flag,  it  is  certain 
that  the  initiative  was  taken  by  the  Emperor  ;  but  it 
was  a  question  of  humanity — I  will  even  say  an  act 
of  charity — before  which,  to  whatever  party  we  may 
belong,  we  must  bow." 

We  know  the  story,  so  widely  circulated,  and  illus- 
trated by  a  talented  artist,  of  the  imaginary  attitude 
of  the  Emperor  on  the  battle-field  and  before  the  King 
of  Prussia  ;  the  picture  representing  the  Emperor,  in 
a   carriage   with    outriders,    passing    over   the   debris 

y— 2 


132  KMPRKSS;  KUnENTK 

(if  tlu'  l-rcncli  :inuv,ainl  siMokiiii,^  liis  otornal  cigarette 
whilst  ridiiiu  nwv  tlic  woiiiuh'd  and  the  dead.  (TiMicral 
I'ajol  wrote  a  letter  to  tl»e  ])a|)ers  giving  tlie  simple 
fat-ts,  of  wliicli  he  had  heen  an  eyewitness.  The 
h'ttcr,  however,  did  not  ohtain  sutheient  cireulution, 
and  M.  riiier>  prevented  greater  publicity  being  given 
to  it. 

These  two  letters,  written  l)y  tlie  Kni])er()r  to  the 
Empress  on  September  2,  1S70  (the  day  after  tlie 
battle  of  Sedan,  and  the  day  on  which  Napoleon  III. 
surrendered  to  King  William),  are  very  little  known. 

The  first  is  dated  from  the  imperial  headquarters, 
and  runs  : 

"  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  tell  thee  what  I  have 
suflPered  and  still  suffer.  We  made  a  march  contrary 
to  all  principles  and  to  common- sense.  That  was 
bound  to  lead  to  a  catastrophe.  It  is  complete.  I 
should  have  preferred  death  to  witnessing  so  disastrous 
a  capitulation.  However,  in  the  circumstances,  it  was 
the  only  way  of  avoiding  a  butchery  of  60,000  men. 

"  I  think  of  thee,  of  our  son,  of  our  unhappy 
country.  May  God  protect  it !  What  is  happening 
in  Paris  ?" 

In  his  second  letter  to  his  consort,  written  at 
Bouillon,  the  Emperor  says  : 

"  Imagine  an  army  surrounding  a  fortified  town, 
and  being  itself  surrounded  by  very  superior  forces. 
After  a  few  hours  our  troops  wanted  to  return  to 
Sedan.  Then  the  town  found  itself  full  of  a  com- 
pact crowd,  and  upon  this  agglomeration  of  human 
heads  the  shells  rained  from  all  sides.  ...  In  this 
extremity  the  generals  came  to  tell  me  that  all  resist- 
ance was  impossible.  There  was  no  more  ammunition 
— no  more   food.     An   attempt  to  make  a  gap   was 


NAPOLEON  III.  AT  WILHELMSHOHE  133 

unsuccessful.  I  remained  on  the  battle-field  four  hours. 
The  journey  to-day  through  the  midst  of  the  Prussian 
troops  was  a  real  torment." 

The  Emperor  started  for  Cassel.  At  Verviers  he 
was  in  great  danger,  so  excited  were  the  people.  The 
sano'-froid  of  General  Baron  Chazal  silenced  the 
insulters.  Hardly  had  Napoleon  III.  reached  Wil- 
helmshohe  than  he  learnt  of  the  revolution  in  Paris. 
He  was  still  to  live  for  two  years  ;  but  from  Septem- 
ber 1  he  was  stricken  by  death.  "  Conneau,"  said 
he,  in  a  voice  hardly  intelligible,  a  few  moments  before 
breathine:  his  last — "  Conneau,  vou  were  at  Sedan  ?" 
The  wound  had  never  closed ! 

The  correspondence  and  the  notes  of  my  father,  who, 
after  his  return  from  Russia,  paid  several  visits  to  the 
Emperor  Napoleon  during  his  captivity,  and  the  letters 
addressed  to  my  father  by  one  of  his  great  friends 
who  was  attached  to  the  person  of  the  Sovereign 
captive,  enable  me  to  furnish  some  new  details  of  the 
life  led  at  Wilhelmshohe  by  Napoleon  III.  and  his 
household. 

Of  politics,  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  word,  there 
is  here  little  or  no  question.  We  know,  more  or  less 
completely,  how  the  Emperor,  after  the  Empress- 
Regent  had  been  approached,  was  solicited  by  Prussia 
to  negotiate  directly  in  view  of  a  treaty  of  peace  which 
M.  de  Bismarck  declared  would  be  more  favourable  to 
France  if  it  were  signed  by  Napoleon  III.  instead  of 
by  the  Government  of  National  Defence,  which  was 
regarded  by  our  adversaries  as  an  irregular  and  pro- 
dsional  Government. 

The  Emperor  has  arrived  at  Wilhelmshohe  with 
Prince    Joachim    Murat,    Lieutenant    Prince    Achille 


i:l4  KM  PPvESS  rJT.RNTK 

Miinit,  till'  (  JimummIs  rriiui'  ilc  L:i  Moskowa,  Conito 
Uoille,  Casti'lnau,  ilc  Wjiul)i'rt  dr  (icnlis,  and  VicouiU' 
l*ajt)l.  his  aiik's-ik'-canij)  ;  Coiiiniaiulant  \\v\^\^  and 
(\»|)taiii  lie  Laiiristoii,  liis  ordcrly-oMicors  ;  ('oiutc 
hasillirrs.  lux'miiT  ('cuvcr  ;  M.  Itaiinlx'aux,  t'ciiycr  ; 
l)rs.  C'oniK'aii  and  Baron  C'orvisait  ;  and  M.  Fran- 
ce scliini  Pictri.*  All  will  share  liis  captivity  until  the 
last  moment. 

Life  at  Wilhelmshohe  is  uniform  and  monotonous. 
The  great  palace,  with  its  innumerable  windows  close 
together  and  its  colonnaded  portico,  is  solemn  and 
dismal.  A  large  park,  which  a  sheet  of  snow  will 
cover  from  November,  will  serve  for  the  dailv  walk 
of  the  captive  Emperor  and  his  companions.     "  The 

Emperor,"  wrote  General to  General  Fleury,  "is 

the  object  of  the  most  delicate  hospitality.  It  is  known 
that  at  Berlin  someone  takes  care  that  nothing  is  want- 
ing by  liira  who  is  struck  by  so  great  a  misfortune." 

If,  as  Dante  said  and  Musset  repeated,  "  there  is 
no  greater  misery  than  happy  recollections  in  times  of 
sorrow,"  the  sojourn  at  Wilhelmshiihe  will  be  particu- 
larly painful  to  the  P^mperor,  for  everywhere  he  will 
find  souvenirs  of  his  brilliant  childhood.  Although 
he  was  quite  young  at  the  time  of  the  sojourn  of 
Napoleon  I.  at  the  magnificent  Court  of  King  Jerome 
[King  of  Westphalia]  and  (^ueen  Catherine,  Napoleon 
III.  remembered  it.  Of  those  distant  times  he  had 
talked  with  Prince  Achille  Murat  during  the  mournful 
journey  from  the  Belgian  frontier  to  Cassel. 

Vague  as  are  those  recollections,  they  are  revived  by 

*  Nearly  all  the  personages  here  mentioned  by  Comte  Fleury 
were  familiar  figures  during  the  imperial  family's  residence  at 
Chislehurst.  One  of  the  few  survivors  is  M.  Pietri,  who  is  still 
with  the  Empress  at  Farnborough  Hill. 


NAPOLEON  III.  AT  WILHELMSHOHE  135 

certain  objects  left  in  the  Chateau  by  the  Prince  of 
Hesse. 

On  the  day  after  his  arrival  the  Emperor  had  asked 
to  be  permitted  to  stroll  through  the  Chateau,  which 
he  had  only  partly  seen  formerly.  Broken  in  soul  and 
body  by  the  physical  and  moral  tortures  which  he  had 
endured,  and  which  were  increased  bv  the  news  from 
Paris,  he  walked  with  bowed  head,  casting  almost  in- 
diiFerent  glances  at  the  rooms  which  opened  one  after 
the  other  before  his  distracted  gaze. 

Suddenly,  it  not  occurring  to  anybody  to  warn  him, 
he  found  himself  opposite  a  smiling  portrait,  resplen- 
dent with  youth  and  grace,  that  a  ray  of  light 
illuminated  at  the  moment.  It  was  his  mother's 
portrait  ! 

The  Emperor  took  a  step  backwards,  struck,  as  it 
were,  en  pleine  poitrine.  As  those  who  accompanied 
him  remained  immovable  and  struck,  the  Emperor  in- 
dicated, by  a  movement  of  his  hand,  that  he  wished 
to  be  alone.  The  aides-de-camp  withdrew  under  the 
influence  of  inexpressible  emotion.  They  waited  for 
more  than  half  an  hour  ere  the  Emperor  called  them 
in.  What  happened  during  that  time,  when,  at  the 
dawn  of  his  captivity,  the  Sovereign  crushed  by  Fate 
found  himself  unexpectedly  before  the  portrait  of 
Queen  Hortense,  for  whom,  as  all  know,  he  pro- 
fessed an  almost  idolatrous  worship  ?  What  scene  of 
dramatic  fiction  can  equal  this Jace- a -Jace  of  the  mother 
and  son  in  an  hour  of  anguish  and  almost  hopelessness  ? 
This  portrait — it  was  the  ray  of  hope  illuminating  the 
prison  of  vanquished  Caesar.  The  Emperor  left  this 
room  enveloped  by  the  image  of  Queen  Hortense  ;  his 
forehead  momentarily  cloudless,  almost  serene  ;  his 
pale  face  lit  up  by  half  a  smile. 


\'M\  KMrKi:ss  KrcF.NlK 

ll«»\v  di^  tlif  |>risoiu'is  pass  tlioir  (lav  ?  Tlio  details 
arc  LriviM  inr  in  privati'  letters,  from  which  I  extract 
th(^  suhstaucc,  oiuittiiiL;- the  |»t)litieal  im|)ressioiis. 

The  l^ni])en>r  rises  usually  between  seven  and  eiu^ht. 
When  his  toilette  is  liiiished  he  takes  a  ciip  ol'  tea, 
and  opens  the  window,  no  matter  what  the  weather 
may  he — and  al)out  ("hristmas  time  the  lcIjiss  was  often 
more  than  20°  Ht^annuu'. 

An  agitated  niultitude  waited  Tor  his  risini;-.  The 
])ark  s])arrows,  famished  and  halt'  frozen,  have  soon 
found  out  tliat  the  ])alacc,  deserted  for  so  many  winters, 
lias  received  a  guest,  and  these  feathered  mendicants 
come  every  day  to  ask  the  charity  which  is  distributed 
to  them  in  tlie  form  of  petits pains  which  the  Em])eror 
crumbles  solicitously.  Has  he  not  always  loved  the 
humble  ?  They  become  so  exigent,  these  birdlets,  that 
sometimes  they  worry  him  when  he  is  shaving  ;  these 
ai)})licants,  tapping  with  their  beaks,  have  more  than 
once  made  the  razor  slip  in  his  hands.  After  shaving, 
the  Emperor  goes  to  his  desk  and  writes  w^ithout  inter- 
ruj)tion  until  ten  o'clock — private  correspondence. 
From  ten  until  eleven  he  reads  the  letters  received  and 
goes  through  the  Belgian,  English,  and  German  news- 
papers. From  their  columns  he  endeavours  to  get 
an  exact  idea  of  what  is  passing  in  France  ;  but, 
to  his  great  regret,  he  does  not  completely  succeed. 
Very  few  French  journals  come  to  hand,  and  those 
irregularly. 

At  eleven  o'clock  comes  lunch — very  simple,  and 
got  through  quickly  ;  during  the  meal  the  Emperor 
discusses  with  his  officers  the  news  brought  by  the 
post.  Immediately  afterwards  all  assemble  in  tlje 
next  room.  Commandant  Hepp,  an  Alsatian  by  origin, 
translates   to  the  generals  the  military  news  in   the 


NAPOLEON  ITT.  AT  WILHELMSHOHE  137 

German  papers  which  the  Emperor  has  marked  with 
a  red  pencil.  During  the  day,  save  for  an  hour  and 
a  half  devoted  to  a  walk  in  the  park,  with  all  the 
companions  of  his  captivity,  the  Emperor  remains 
alone  in  his  room.  He  reads,  or  prepares  his  night's 
work. 

At  half-past  five  the  Emperor  dresses  for  dinner. 
He  always  comes  down  en  halnt^  wearing  the  plaque 
of  the  Legion  of  Honour.  All  the  members  of  his 
household  ap])ear  in  evening  garb. 

The  dinner  is  simple  and  brief.  A  little  light 
Moselle  wine  is  drunk.  Queen  [afterwards  the  Em- 
press] Augusta  had  chosen  for  the  Emperor's  domestics 
persons  who  were  not  Germans. 

After  dinner  comes  coffee,  in  the  smoking-room, 
whilst  the  letters  are  being  sent  off  by  the  last  post. 
Often  the  Emperor  retires  at  the  end  of  a  quarter  of 
an  hour  ;  sometimes  he  remains.  To  banish  the  pain- 
ful thoughts  of  the  day  all  take  refuge  in  literature. 
One  of  the  aides-de-camp  reads  scenes  or  passages 
from  Corneille,  Racine,  Lamartine,  Victor  Hugo,  or 
De  Musset,  and,  abstractedly,  the  Emperor  listens  to 
the  sonorous  rhymes.  Sometimes  General  Reille,  a 
very    fine    reader,    reads    some    romance    or    other. 

"  '  Colomba  '    interests  us,"   writes   General  to 

General  Fleury  ;  "  send  us  some  books."  And  from 
Lausanne,  where  my  father  lives  temporarily,  he  sends 
the  volumes  which  are  wanted.  At  nine  o'clock,  at 
latest,  the  Emperor  rises,  shakes  hands  with  all, 
beginning  with  the  Princes  Murat,  and  retires  slowly 
to  his  work-room.  Once  more  he  opens  the  window, 
if  the  weather  is  not  too  bad,  to  get  a  mouthful  of 
fresh  air.  His  eye  pierces  the  horizon,  whilst  in  the 
night  the  police  and  the  soldiers  go  their  rounds.     As 


1^8  KM  press;  euot^.nte 

for  him,  lie  wMtclics.  In  tlicsc  hours  ot"  sohtiule  he 
i;m  put  his  notes  in  or(h'r,  miuI  jot  (h)\vn  tlic  iiiiprcs- 
sioiis  of  tlic  thiv,  which  will  scrvi'  liiui  For  a  Futuro 
work.  He  has  niarkcil  out  the  lines  tor  a  hrocliure 
whifli  will  litar  the  name  of  the  Manpiis  de  (Jricourt, 
"  Des  lU'lations  (U-  la  France  avcc  T Allcma^ne/'  lie 
works  at  another  essay  u])on  "  I^'(  )ri;anisation  .Militaire 
de  rAllemai::ne  du  Nord.'"*  As  lie  has  formerly  done 
at  Ham,  the  captive  forces  himself  to  give  his  actual 
til  oughts  a  respite. 

( )n  New  Year's  Day  the  Emperor  receives  telegrams 
from  a// the  Sovereigns  of  Europe,  the  German  Princes 
excepted.  But  Comte  de  Mons,  Governor  of  Cassel, 
comes,  on  behalf  of  the  King  of  Prussia  and  his  allies, 
to  brino-  their  wishes  for  "  future  o-ood  relations 
between  the  different  nations  of  Germany  and  France." 
Queen  Augusta  bad  written  a  personal  letter  to  the 
Emperor. 

The  Emperor  was  profoundly  touched  by  an 
address,  with  30,000  signatures,  emanating  from  the 
French  prisoners.  The  old  faithful  ones  all  recalled 
themselves  to  him  ;  there  were  some  abstentions,  but 
very  few.  The  Emperor  was  most  touched  by  receiving 
two  little  bunches  of  faded  violets,  which,  in  some 
inexplicable  manner,  had  been  sent  out  of  besieged 
Paris.  On  one  of  them  Avas  written,  "  Vn  vrai  Fran- 
cais";  on  the  other,  "  L  ne  famille  d'ouvriers  recon- 
naissants "  (A  grateful  workman's  family).  The 
Emperor  took  those  two  bouquets  to  Chislehurst. 

The  Emperor  received  more  visits  than  he  expected 
— even  more  than  he  wished.     Some  ofHcials  requested 

■'■  Neither  of  these  brochures  seems  to  have  been  published. 
Perhaps  they  were  never  completed.  But,  anyway,  the  manu- 
scripts must  be  at  Farnborough  Hill. 


NAPOLEON  TIT.  AT  WILHELMSHOHE  139 

permission  to  come  and  see  him.  The  Emperor  replied 
that  he  did  not  want  them  to  come,  "  wishing  to  pre- 
serve for  France  their  knowledge  and  experience." 
Some  former  faithful  ones  journeyed  to  Wilhelmshohe. 
After  the  fall  of  Metz  the  chiefs  of  the  imprisoned 
army  came  to  Cassel.     "  The  interview  was  a  painful 

one,"  wrote  General .     "  Marshal  Canrohert  was 

very  warmly  received,  and  the  Emperor  embraced  him 
several  times." 

The  Emperor  was  very  solicitous  for  the  fate  of  the 
prisoners.  Nearly  all  the  money  which  he  had  pos- 
sessed at  Sedan  had  been  distributed  to  the  soldiers. 
He  had  very  little  of  it  left.  He  wrote  to  the  Empress, 
w^ho  had  arrived  in  England  empty-handed :  "  T  have 
not  with  me  more  than  200,000  francs  (£8,000)  ;  but, 
like  thee,  I  am  proud  to  have  fallen  from  the  throne 
without  having  sent  money  abroad." 

With  the  assistance  of  his  old  friend,  Comte  Arese, 
the  Palace  of  the  Caesars  at  Rome  was  sold  to  the 
Ttalian  Government  for  nearly  1,000,000  francs 
(£40,000).  The  Emperor  divided  that  sum  into  two 
equal  parts — one  for  Chislehurst,  the  other  for  Wil- 
helmshohe.* The  Emperor's  half  did  not  last  long. 
He  wrote  on  February  22,  1871:  "I  have  spent  a 
great  deal  on  the  relief  of  the  officers  and  soldiers,  and 
when  I  see  how  much  happiness  I  have  conferred 
with  such  a  little  [money]  I  do  not  regret  it."  The 
Emperor's  money  was  distributed  ver}^  discreetly  by 
M.  Alfred  Pommier,  a  French  industriel,  in  business 
at  Leipzig. 

At  the  end  of    October,   1870,  the   Emperor  was 

■■'•  These  figures  appear  to  indicate  the  exact  financial  resources  of 
the  Emperor  and  the  Empress  shortly  after  the  latter's  arrival  at 
Chislehurst  in  the  autumn  of  1870. 


140  i:Mn;Kss  i-.rr.riNTK 

visitml  l)v  tlic  luu|»ross  Kiiiii'iiic,  wIkv  IkuI  fiMVcllcd 
throiiLrli  Hi'liiiimi  iiiiknowii  to  tlic  |Mil)lic.  She 
arrivctl  ;it  ^^'illl(•Ilnsllillu'  McconipMiiicd  l)v  Conitc 
(Marv. 

Till'  lattci'  prcsi'iits  liiiusi'H"  to  tlic  Knipci-or. 

"  Vou  here  !  I  have  just  wi-ittcii  to  tlic  lMn|)ress 
askiuiT  her  if  slie  cannot  conic  now." 

General  oives  details  of  what  followed  : 

"  We  wi  re  all  standini^  ronnd  the  Emperor.  Clary 
replies  :  '  As  soon  as  the  Eni])ress  knows  your 
Majesty's  wishes  she  will  certainly  come.'" 

Clary  evidently  wished  to  speak  to  the  Emperor 
privately.  When  they  were  alone  he  told  His  Majesty 
that  the  Empress  was  at  the  gates  of  the  Chateau. 
The  Emperor  could  not  conceal  his  emotion.  "  Let 
her  come  !  Let  her  come  !"  And  he  rushed  to  the 
steps  to  wait  for  her.  But  he  feared  lest  he  should 
make  an  exhibition  of  himself  ("II  craignait  de  se 
donner  en  spectacle  ")  ;  and  he  knew  how  to  restrain 
himself  so  as  to  receive  the  Empress  as  if  they  had 
parted  from  each  other  a  few  days  previously  in 
ordinary  circumstances.  .  .  .  The  Empress  knows 
that  the  Emperor  is  master  of  himself  ;  nevertheless, 
she  is  a  little  astonished,  almost  pained,  at  this  apparent 
indifference,  this  coldness.  ...  As  soon  as  the  door 
of  the  room  is  closed,  the  Emperor,  weeping,  throws 
himself  into  her  arms.  "  Our  interview  was  heart- 
rending," wrote  the  Empress  next  day  to  General 
Fleury. 

The  lon^r  calvary  passes  across  the  panorama. 
After  the  capitulation  of  Metz,  which  surprised  every - 
hody^  one  expressed  ardent  wishes  for  the  Army  of  the 
Loire,  and  once  more  based  hopes  on  Bourbaki,  whose 
march  the  Emperor  and  his  companions  followed  "  with 


NAPOLEON  III.  AT  WILHELMSHOHE  141 

anxiety."  News  of  Bourbaki  came  through  his  sister, 
Mme.  Lebreton.* 

With  what  resignation  the  Emperor  received  the 
news  of  the  dechmnce  of  the  dynasty,  pronounced  at 
Bordeaux,  those  who  witnessed  it  with  inexpressible 
emotion  can  testify.  He  was  to  protest  against  it  by 
his  manifesto  to  the  French  people. 

Then  the  preliminaries  of  peace,  the  conditions  of 
which  overwhelmed  the  Emperor.  "  In  presence  of 
such  misfortunes,"  he  wrote  to  the  Empress,  "  my  mind 
is  entirely  absorbed.  If  France  were  unanimous  in 
her  sentiments,  if  she  had  a  Government  strong  enough 
to  work  without  ceasing  for  a  resurrection,  one  could 
have  hope." 

The  captivity   of   the  Emperor  draws  to  a  close. 

His  departure.  General  tells  us,  was  fixed  for 

March  20,  a  Sunday.  The  evening  before  General 
Reille  assembled  the  personnel  of  the  Chateau,  and 
presented  to  each  one  a  souvenir,  either  a  piece  of 
jewellery  or  money.  The  officers  of  the  garrison, 
greatly  moved,  came  to  say  farewell — such  was  the 
charm    which   the   Emperor   exercised  upon  all  who 

approached  him.     One  of  them,  Captain ,  of  the 

artillery,  stationed  at  S.,  wept  like  a  child.  The 
French  officers  interned  at  Cassel  came  next.  Their 
adieux  were  serious  and  sad.  All  bowed  with  greater 
respect  than  if  they  had  been  at  the  Tuileries. 
"  Come,  gentlemen,"  said  the  Emperor,  "  France  will 
have  need  of  you  before  long !" 

Then  came  Comte  Louis  de  Turenne  and  Baron 
Tristan  Lambert,  prisoners  of  war  ;  and  the  two 
young  Labedoyeres,  companions  of  the  Prince 
Imperial,   who,   with  their  mother,  the  Princesse  de 

*  Bourbaki's  failure  with  the  Army  of  the  Loire  was  disastrous. 


W2  EMIM{KSS  EUGENIE 

la  Moskowa,  were  resitling-  at  the  Hotel  Schombardt, 
Wilht'liiishrdK.'. 

riie  next  morniiii;-  i\\v  Emj^oror  was  up  at  six.  At 
lialf-past  seven  lie  heard  the  last  Mass  o£  liis  captivity, 
ami  left  to  the  priest  of  the  neighbourinjj^  Catholic 
church  the  t)rnanients  and  the  chalices  which  the 
Empress  had  sent  from  England. 

At  the  moment  the  Emperor  entered  the  train  which 
was  to  take  him  to  Belgium,  on  his  way  to  rejoin  the 
Empress  in  England,  the  journalist  Melz,  whose 
devotion  to  Napoleon  III.  was  worthy  of  all  praise, 
received  a  telegram,  which  he  took  to  the  railwav- 
station.  It  contained  these  words :  "  Revolution  in 
Paris.  Two  generals  assassinated.  Socialists  masters 
of  the  capital.     Question  of  peace  postponed." 

Having  read  the  telegram  the  Emperor  turned  pale, 
and  threw  up  his  arms,  saying  :  "  The  second  time, 
face  to  face  with  the  foreigner." 


CHAPTER  VIII 

"  HOW  WE  LOST  SEDAN  " 

BY     THE     EMPEROR    NAPOLEON     III.* 

Immediately  after  the  war  o£  1870  the  English  papers 
published  various  articles  explaining,  from  the  military 
point  of  view,  how  the  disaster  of  Sedan  became  in- 
evitable. It  was  supposed  at  the  time  that  these 
articles  had  been  inspired  by  Napoleon  III.,  and  that 
they  were  founded  upon  information  supplied  by  His 
Majesty.  This  is  uncertain,  but  there  is  in  existence 
an  imperial  narrative  of  the  disaster  of  Sedan,  the 
authenticity  of  which  cannot  for  a  moment  be  called 
in  question.  The  original  is  in  the  possession  of 
Baron  A.  Chazal,  son  of  the  former  Lieutenant-General 
of  the  Belgian  Army.  It  forms  a  part  of  those  docu- 
ments relating  to  the  events  which  occurred  between 
1848  and  1875,  and  constituting  the  dossiers  left  by 
General  Chazal.  It  was  that  officer  who  escorted 
Napoleon  III.  from  Sedan  to  Bouillon,  and  thence 
to  Verviers,  whence  the  Emperor  departed  for  Wil- 
helmshohe. 

General  Chazal,  who  had  always  maintained  very 
cordial  and  close  relations  with  the  imperial  family, 
made   Napoleon  III.   understand  that  it  was  of  the 

*  This  remarkable  narrative,  written  by  Napoleon  III.,  is  repro- 
duced by  the  courteous  permission  of  the  Editor  of  the  Temps,  in 
which  it  appeared  exclusively  in  October,  1908. 

143 


144  EMrUEvSS  EUOF.NTE 

utmost  ini)H)rt:uu'('  to  cxplniii  events  imnu'diatcly,  and 
to  uivi'  cloarlv  tlio  details  of  tlie  disaster.  The 
narrativi>  (lie  said)  oMi;ht  to  be  published  in  the  Tinies^ 
and  it  was  hoped  that  such  an  explanation  would  bring 
abt)ut  a  ehaniiv  of  public  opinion  in  fa\"our  of  the 
imperial  cause. 

Arrived  at  Verviers,  Na})oleon  III.  wrote  the  narra- 
tive now  printed,  and  sent  it  immediate!}'  to  General 
Chazal.  It  will  be  understood  that  every  word  was 
well  weighed  when  it  is  stated  that  the  manuscript  is 
strewni  with  erasures  and  alterations.  The  manuscript 
covers  seven  pages  and  a  quarter  of  close  writing. 
At  the  back  of  the  cover  General  Chazal  had  written  : 
"  Narrative  of  the  Battle  of  Sedan,  written  at  Verviers 
bv  the  Emperor."  Inside  the  dossier  is  a  half-sheet  of 
note-pa]ier,  with,  in  the  left  corner,  the  letter  N, 
surmounted  by  a  crown,  with  these  words  in  General 
Chazal's  handwriting  :  "  Autograph  de  I'Empereur 
Napoleon  III.,  written  at  Verviers."  Below,  like  an 
address  hastily  jotted  down,  are  the  words  :  "  Chateau 
de  Wilhelmshohe,  pres  de  Cassel." 

The  personality  of  General  Chazal,  and  the  part 
which  he  played  by  the  side  of  the  Emperor  on  the 
morrow  of  Sedan,  guarantee  the  authenticity  of  the 
narrative.  General  Chazal's  son  has  explained  that, 
although  it  had  been  agreed  with  the  Emperor  that 
the  story  should  be  published,  it  was  not  printed 
because  events  had  made  useless  a  publication  in- 
tended, in  the  opinion  of  the  Emperor,  to  produce  a 
current  of  opinion  less  hostile  to  the  imperial  family. 

The  narrative,  the  phraseology  of  which  is  occasion- 
ally somewhat  crude,  has  been  transcribed  textually  ; 
it  betrays  in  every  line  the  essential  wish  to  safeguard 
the  imperial  prestige,  as  far  as  it  could  still  be  pre- 


"HOW  WE  LOST  SEDAN"  145 

served,   even  at  the  risk  of  falsifvino;  some  of  the 
actual  facts. 

Since  the  time  when  these  yellow  pages  were 
written,  impartial  history  has  rectified  certain  points 
of  the  narrative.  But  it  must  not  be  forgotten,  in 
now  reading  it  for  the  first  time,  that  it  was  written 
with  the  view  of  immediate  publication,  and  with  the 
essential  preoccupation  of  justifying,  as  far  as 
possible,  the  Emperor  in  public  opinion,  which  it  was 
still  hoped  to  bring  round  to  the  imperial  cause. 
Hence  the  passage  particularly  insisting  upon  the 
Emperor  displaying  sang-froid  and  exposing  himself 
to  danger.  When  the  Emperor  arrived  at  Verviers, 
he  was  much  depressed,  and  it  cost  him  a  struggle  to 
complete  the  narrative,  which,  with  its  repetitions  and 
alterations,  especially  towards  the  end,  betray  his 
moral  lassitude  and  abandon. 

The  Emperor's  Narrative. 

It  is  difficult  to  relate  so  extraordinary  an  event  as 
that  which  has  just  taken  place  under  the  walls  of 
Sedan,  where  an  army,  supported  by  a  citadel,  has 
been  obliged  to  surrender  in  ignorance  of  the  circum- 
stances which  brought  about  its  defeat.  We  will 
endeavour  to  explain  it  to  our  readers. 

After  the  Battle  of  Mars-la- Tour,  Marshal  Bazaine, 
although  he  remained  master  of  the  field,  was  obliged 
to  fall  back  upon  Metz  for  the  purpose  of  procuring 
food  and  munitions  of  war  :  but  the  Prussian  Army, 
reinforced  by  numerous  troops,  again  confronted  him, 
and,  after  much  fighting,  glorious  for  the  French 
Army,  threatened  to  cut  off  his  retreat.  Marshal  de 
MacMahon,  whose  army  had  been  formed  at  Chalons, 
resolved  then  to  go  to  the  succour  of  Marshal  Bazaine, 

10 


I4t;  EMTUKSS  EUGENIE 

and,  aitliDiinh  lu*  IVlt  \w  was  takins::  a  bold  stop,  m 
prosi'iu'i'  of  tlie  t'oiisiderahle  forces  which  were 
inarcliiiiir  *»n  Paris,  under  the  command  of  tlie  Crown 
rriiu'c.  and  which  niii;ht  take  liim  in  flank,  while 
those  troops  who  were  before  Met/,  might,  to  a  great 
extent,  oppose  his  front,  he  determined  to  go  to  the 
assistance  of  the  Army  of  Metz.  He  accordingly 
marched  from  Rheims  to  Rethel,  and  from  Rethel  to 
Steuay.  Arrived  at  Chene-le-Populeux,  he  learnt 
that  the  Crown  Prince's  advance  guard  had  been  seen, 
and  that  already  the  heads  of  his  columns  were 
engaging  the  corps  of  Douay  and  Failly.  Immediately 
he  ordered  a  retreat  towards  Mezieres,  for,  were  he 
cut  off  from  that  town,  he  would  not  be  able  to 
revictual  his  army.  The  movement  had  already  com- 
menced, when  a  telegram  from  Paris,  received  during 
the  night,  compelled  him  to  persevere  in  a  march 
which  was  to  prove  fatal  to  him. 

The  French  Army  continued  to  advance.  Already 
a  part  of  it  had  passed  the  Meuse,  at  Mouzon,  when 
the  corps  of  Generals  Failly  and  Douay,  which  had 
remained  alone  on  the  left  bank,  were  severely 
attacked  and  retired  in  disorder,  after  having  resisted 
for  a  considerable  time. 

Marshal  de  MacMahon  then  recognized,  for  the 
second  time,  the  extreme  difficulty  of  reaching  Metz, 
and  felt  the  necessity  of  abandoning  his  plan.  He 
immediately  gave  the  order  to  make  a  retrograde 
movement  towards  Sedan,  and  the  troops,  although 
worn  out  by  fatigue,  marched  for  a  part  of  the  night 
of  August  30-31. 

Upon  arriving  near  Sedan,  the  12th  Corps  had  to 
take  part  in  an  engagement  where  all  the  advantage 
was  on  its  side.     But  during  this  time  the  Prussian 


"HOW  WE  LOST  SEDAN"  147 

Army  had  completed  its  passage  of  the  Meuse,  both 
above  and  below  Sedan,  and  commenced  to  occupy  all 
the  heights  which  commanded  the  town.  It  is  not 
uninteresting  to  remark  here  that  Sedan  is  a  fortified 
place,  commanded  by  hills,  and  incapable  of  resisting 
the  new  artillery.  The  approaches  are  not  defended 
by  works  and  advanced  forts,  as  at  Metz  and  many 
other  places.  [This  last  sentence  is  inserted  between 
the  lines,  and  is  in  General  Chazal's  writing.]  On 
another  side  the  armament  was  very  incomplete,  and 
the  provisions  and  the  munitions  of  war  were  very 
restricted. 

On  the  following  day,  September  1,  the  French 
Army  was  simultaneously  attacked  on  the  right  and  on 
the  left.  The  right  of  the  position  was  occupied  by 
Ducrot's  and  Lebrun's  corps,  the  left  by  WimpfFen's 
and  Douay's  corps.  Marshal  de  MacMahon  im- 
mediately mounted  his  horse  and  proceeded  to  the 
most  advanced  fronts  of  the  attack  to  examine  the 
positions.  The  Emperor,  whom  the  Marshal  had  in- 
formed of  his  intention,  was  also  on  horseback,  and 
was  leaving  the  town,  when  he  met  the  Marshal,  who 
was  in  an  ambulance  waggon,  having  been  wounded  in 
the  left  thigh  by  a  shell. 

The  command  had  been  assumed  by  General 
WimpfFen,  as  the  senior  general.  The  engagement 
continued  energetically  for  several  hours  ;  but 
towards  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  troops  were 
repulsed  and  made  their  way  into  the  town,  where  the 
streets  were  already  blocked  by  carts,  artillery 
carriages,  infantry,  and  cavalry,  all  in  the  greatest 
confusion.  The  Emperor,  proceeding  to  the  battle- 
field, went  first  towards  General  Lebrun's  corps,  at 
Salon,  where  the  fighting  was  very  severe,  and  from 

10—2 


14S  KMPIIK?^:^  EUGT^.NTE 

tlu'ic  lir  rtuU'  on  towards  tlic  ccMitre,  encouraging  the 
troops  bv  liis  prosriu'c,  and  sliowini;-  the  greatest  sang- 
froid in  the  midst  of  tiie  j)rojeetiU'S  which  fell  around 
him.  After  remaining  four  hours  on  the  battle-Held, 
and  visiting  those  ])()ints  where  the  danger  was 
s»:reatest,  he  returned  to  the  town  and  proceeded  to 
whore  Marshal  do  ^lacMahon  was  lying.  Wishing  to 
depart  again  immediately,  he  could  not  pass  through 
the  streets,  so  encumbered  were  they,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  remain  in  the  town,  where  shells  were 
falling  and  causing  several  fires,  striking  the  wounded 
in  private  houses,  and  scattering  death  in  the  streets 
by  bursting  upon  great  masses  of  men  heaped  one 
upon  the  other.  At  this  moment  General  Guyot  de 
Lespars  was  killed  in  the  street  by  a  shell. 

The  Emperor,  obliged  to  remain  in  the  town, 
installed  himself  at  the  Sous-Prefecture,  which  was 
the  centre  of  this  rain  of  iron.  Several  shells  had 
burst  upon  the  roof  and  in  the  courtyard  of  this 
residence,  where  presently  arrived  the  commandants 
of  the  different  corps,  announcing  that  resistance  had 
become  impossible.  Their  men,  after  having  coura- 
geously fought  almost  all  day,  attacked  on  all  sides,  had 
bent  their  steps  towards  the  town,  and  were  jammed 
asrainst  each  other  in  the  streets  and  the  ditches  of  the 
citadel.  Soon  the  confusion  was  general,  and  all 
movement  became  impossible.  The  Prussian  shells 
fell  amongst  this  sea  of  humanity,  dealing  death  at 
every  coup^  and  the  ramparts  of  the  town,  far  from 
serving  to  shelter  our  army,  became  the  cause  of 
its  loss. 

Recognizing,  then,  the  impossibility  of  a  useful  resist- 
ance, it  was  necessary  to  parlementer^  and  a  white  flag 
was  hoisted  on  the  summit  of  the  fortress  at  five  o'clock 


"HOW  WE  LOST  SEDAN"  149 

in  the  afternoon.  At  this  moment,  the  Prussian  Army, 
more  than  240,000  strong,  had  tightened  its  grip  ;  a 
formidable  force  of  artillery  occupied  all  the  heights 
which  commanded  the  town,  and  the  infantry  had 
been  able  to  advance  as  far  as  to  the  glacis  of  the 
citadel. 

The  King  of  Prussia  then  sent  an  aide-de-camp  to 
the  Emperor  to  demand  the  surrender  of  the  citadel 
and  the  capitulation  of  the  army.  The  Emperor 
would  not  answer  for  the  army,  leaving  that  to 
General  WimpfFen,  who  had  been  in  supreme  com- 
mand ;  but  he  made  known  to  the  King  that  he  would 
personally  surrender  to  him.  The  King  requested 
that  plenipotentiaries  should  be  nominated  for  the 
purpose  of  knowing  the  propositions  respecting  the 
army.  General  Wimpffen  had  a  conference  with 
General  de  Moltke,  and  on  his  return  laid  before  a 
council  of  war  composed  of  all  the  generals  of  the 
army  the  conditions  made  to  him.  At  this  council  it 
was  unanimously  agreed  that  the  army,  being  without 
provisions,  without  munitions  of  war,  heaped  together 
in  the  streets  of  the  town,  already  in  disorder,  could 
not  possibly  make  any  movement,  and  could  no  longer 
hope  to  cut  a  passage  by  main  force  through  the 
enemy's  ranks.  Consequently  it  became  impossible  to 
prolong  a  resistance  which  could  only  result  in  the 
massacre  of  the  troops,  and  everybody  was  compelled 
to  accept  the  capitulation. 

General  Wimpffen  came  to  acquaint  the  Emperor 
with  the  result  of  this  deliberation,  and  told  him  that 
he  alone  could  obtain  better  conditions  for  the  army. 
Indeed,  the  King  had  offered  to  have  an  interview 
with  the  Emperor,  which  took  place  about  one  o'clock 
in  a  chateau  near  Sedan.     Although  it  had  been  said 


150  KMPRESS  EUGENIE 

that,  if  tlu'  conditions  were  not  accepted  by  nine 
it'clock,  hostilities  would  be  resumed,  the  interview 
was  dehived  until  the  conditions  had  been  accepted  by 
General  Winiptien. 

Such  is  the  exact  account  of  this  catastrophe,  which 
tilled  every  soldier's  heart  with  sorrow. 

Napoleon. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  TEEATY  WHICH  VANISHED  FROM  CHISLEHURST 

One  result  of  the  Empress  Eugenie's  visit  to  the 
Emperor  of  Austria  in  1906  was  to  produce  in  the 
Italian  and  French  Press  a  numher  of  articles,  letters, 
and  interviews,  seeking  to  explain  why  France  entered 
single-handed  into  the  war  with  Prussia.  Count 
Constantin  Nigra,  better  known  as  the  Chevalier 
Nigra,  a  former  Ambassador  of  Italy  at  Vienna,  who 
died  in  1907,  was  credited  with  the  authorship  of  an 
article  in  the  Trihuna  narrating  the  history  of  the 
pourparlers  between  Austria,  Italy,  and  France,  prior 
to  1870,  having  for  their  object  a  triple  alliance 
against  Prussia  ;  and  asserting  that  the  reason  of  the 
Empress's  journey  to  Ischl  was  to  be  found  in  her 
desire  to  restore  to  the  Emperor  of  Austria  an  auto- 
graph letter  sent  by  His  Majesty  to  Napoleon  III., 
makins:  it  clear  to  the  latter  that  such  an  alliance  was 
possible  only  on  condition  that  the  Emperor  of  the 
French  agreed  to  an  Italian  occupation  of  Rome. 

In  the  discussion  that  ensued,  the  Marquis  Visconti- 
Venosta  (who,  at  the  end  of  1869,  was  Italian 
Minister  for  Foreign  Affairs)  pointed  out  the  inter- 
esting circumstance  that,  several  years  ago,  Signor 
Nigra  (who  it  will  be  remembered  was  Italian 
Ambassador  to  France  previous  to  the  declieance) 
stated  that  the  proposed  alliance  against  Prussia  really 

151 


KV2  EMPRESS  EUGENIE 

came  to  nouolit  bt'tniise  tlic  Euipert)!'  Alexander  II. 
let  it  be  kiu>\vii  that  if  such  a  compact  were  entered 
into  he  would  ally  himself  to  Prussia.  The  Manpiis 
further  ex})ressed  his  opinion  that  the  Empress 
Eugenie  would  not  have  waited  thirty-six  years  in 
order  to  return  to  the  Emperor  Francis  Joseph  a 
letter  which  contained  nothing  whatsoever  of  a  com- 
promising character. 

As  might  have  been  expected,  the  discussion  of  so 
vital  a  question  as  the  proposed  alliance,  which  would 
have  been  of  incalculable  service  to  France  in  1870, 
brought  from  his  retirement  the  veteran  Emile  Ollivier, 
the  Prime  Minister  who  swayed  the  destinies  of  France 
until  shortly  before  the  flight  of  the  Empress  and  the 
proclamation  of  the  Republic.  M.  Ollivier  declared 
in  the  Matm  that,  if  they  had  to  live  those  times  over 
again,  he  would  act  as  he  had  acted  previous  to  the 
events  of  1870. 

"  The  invasion,  the  defeat,  the  dismemberment  of 
France,"  said  the  Petite  Repuhlique^  "  left  M.  Ollivier 
indifferent.  To  him  the  important  fact  was  that 
Napoleon  111.  kept  his  word  as  a  gentleman  !  To 
the  expression  of  these  enormities  M.  Ollivier  added 
that,  but  for  the  events  of  September  4,  those  '  gentle- 
men,' the  King  of  Italy  and  the  Emperor  of  Austria, 
w^ould  have  opposed  the  taking  of  our  two  provinces 
[Alsace  and  Lorraine].  The  conclusion,  therefore, 
was  that  it  was  the  fault  of  the  Republic.  This 
man  knew  all  that  in  1870.  He  was  not  ignorant 
of  the  fact  that  we  should  have  had  the  support 
of  half  Europe  ;  that  we  did  not  have  it  because  the 
Pope  was  the  '  godfather  of  the  Little  One  '  [the  Prince 
Imperial].  And  it  was  with  a  light  heart  that  they 
launched  us  into  war.  The  others  will,  perhaps,  say 
that  they  did  not  know  these  things,  but  now  that 
M.  Ollivier  has  told  us  for  what  puerile  reasons  he 


THE  TEEATY  WHICH  VANISHED      153 

deprived  us  of  powerful  allies,  we  may  ask  how  certain 
of  his  colleagues  [of  the  Academy] — MM.  Francois 
Coppee,  Jules  Lemaitre,  and  Maurice  Barres,  who 
pass  their  time  weeping  over  the  lost  provinces,  also 
with  a  light  heart — will  be  able  to  continue  their 
relations  with  this  malheureux T 

The  celebrated  publicist,  M.  Ranc,  who  for  thirty 
years,  until  his  death  in  August,  1906,  had  been  a 
prominent  figure  in  French  politics  and  journalism, 
wrote  in  a  similar  strain  in  the  Aurore : 

"  Many  years  have  elapsed  since  the  revelations  of 
Prince  Napoleon  [Jerome]  made  everything  known.  If 
in  1870  France  had  no  allies,  if  she  remained  isolated,  it 
is  because  the  Imperial  Government  would  not  abandon 
the  Temporal  Power,  because  the  Emperor  was  so  head- 
strong as  to  maintain  the  occupation  of  Rome.  It  was 
the  influence  of  the  Catholic  party — of  '  the  Empress's 
party' — which  carried  him  away;  that  party  which 
said,  '  Better  the  Prussians  at  Montmartre  than  the 
Piedmontese  at  Rome  !'  The  Prussians  came  to  Mont- 
martre, and  the  Piedmontese  are  always  at  Rome. 
Such  are  the  splendid  results  of  the  imbecile  policy  of 
him  who,  on  August  3,  1870,  telegraphed  to  the 
Empress  :  '  Despite  the  insistence  of  Napoleon  [Prince 
Jerume],  I  will  not  give  way  about  Rome.'  The 
Emperor  wrote  that  after  an  interview  with  Count 
Vimercati,  who  had  just  offered  him  the  Austrian - 
Italian  alliance.  These  last  incidents — the  visit  of 
the  Empress  Eugenie  to  Francis  Joseph,  M.  Nigra's 
article  in  the  Tribuna^  the  publication  by  M.  Emile 
Ollivier  of  the  letter  of  Victor  Emmanuel — have 
taught  us  nothing.  We  have  only  found  in  them  the 
confirmation  of  these  terrible  words  of  Prince  Napo- 
leon :  '  The  friendship  of  the  Vatican,  the  defence  of 
the  Temporal  Power,  cost  us  Alsace  and  Lorraine.'  " 

Comte  Soderini,  formerly  a  member  of  the  Pope's 
"  Noble   Guard,"  and  credited  with  an  intimate  know- 


154  KMPRESS  EUGf5:NIE 

leds2;e  oi  {\\c  diplomatic  events  of  lS()l)-70,  gave  a 
categorical  denial  to  the  story  of  tlie  "imaginary 
letter  "  said  to  have  been  "restored"  in  190(5  hy  tlie 
Empress  Eugenie  to  the  Emperor  Francis  Joseph. 
He  does  not  believe  in  the  existence  of  a  letter  which 
had  no  raiso/f  cTrtre.  Anyway,  he  puts  the  Empress 
outside  the  discussion.  "  If  the  alliance  was  not 
entered  into,  I  do  not  believe  that  it  depended  upon 
the  Emperor  of  Austria's  letter  or  upon  the  Empress 
Euo-enie's  alleged  hostilitv  to  Italv.  Prince  Jdrome's 
accusations  in  this  particular  are  not  sup})orted  by  any 
positive  proofs." 

Prince  Jerome  Napoleon's  story  of  these  diplomatic 
negotiations  is  of  exceptional  interest,  and  is  con- 
firmed by  what  the  Comte  de  La  Chapelle  had  pre- 
viously published  on  the  same  subject.  Prince 
Jerome*  visited  Napoleon  III.  at  Chislehurst  on 
December  12,  1872,  less  than  a  month  before  His 
Majesty's  death.  The  Emperor,  although  suffering 
greatly,  spoke  to  his  cousin  concerning  the  steps 
which  the  latter  had  taken  in  August,  1870,  in  order 
to  induce  Italy  and  iVustria  to  lend  France  their 
armed  support. 

" '  The  Emperor,'  said  Prince  Jerome  to  M.  Dari- 
mon  in  1875,  '  opened  a  drawer  of  his  bureau,  and 
sliowed  me  the  projets  de  traites  which  had  been  nego- 
tiated with  Austria  and  Italy,  I  knew  the  projet  de 
traite  with  Italy,  as  I  had  a  copy  of  it,  which  was 
sent  to  me  when  I  was  leaving  France  for  Austria 
in  August,  1870.  The  projet  with  Austria  contained 
corrections  made  by  the  Emperor  Francis  Joseph,  and 
with  it  was  an  autograph  letter  which  left  no  doubt 

*  Father  of  Prince  Napoleon,  the  Pretender,  whose  interview  at 
Buckingham  Palace  with  King  Manoel  in  November,  1909,  was  an 
event  of  historical  interest  and  importance. 


THE  TREATY  WHICH  VANISHED      155 

as  to  the  good  intentions  of  M.  de  Beust's  Cabinet 
towards  France.  After  the  death  of  the  Emperor  his 
papers  were  arranged.  They  were  in  the  greatest 
disorder,  and  it  was  easy  to  see  that  they  had  been 
turned  over  by  a  strange  hand. 

'  The  Emperor  told  me  that  in  a  drawer  which 
he  indicated  the  projet  de  traite  with  Italy  had  been 
found,  but  it  was  impossible  to  discover  that  which 
had  been  drawn  up  with  Austria.  ...  '  Probably,' 
said  the  Empress,  '  while  the  Emperor  was  a  prisoner 
at  Wilhelmshohe,  the  Prussians  entered  his  cabinet 
and  took  the  documents.'  '  You  are  mistaken,'  I  said 
to  the  Empress  ;  '  that  paper  was  not  stolen  at  Wil- 
helmshohe. The  Emperor  brought  it  to  Chislehurst ; 
the  proof  of  which  is  that  last  December  [187i^]  he 
communicated  its  contents  to  me,  and  I  noted  them. 
Of  that  I  am  absolutely  certain.' 

'Ah,  mon  Dieu  !'  exclaimed  the  Empress,  'you 
have  opened  my  eyes,  and  now  I  understand  the 
object  of  a  visit  which  I  received  some  months  ago. 
Princess  Metternich*  came  to  see  me.  She  said  : 
'  They  want  you  to  be  very  careful  as  to  what  you 
publish  about  the  relations  which  existed  between  the 
Austrian  and  French  Governments.'  I  took  no  notice 
of  what  she  said  ;  but  I  now  see  that  it  was  to  the 
interest  of  the  Austrian  Government  that  these 
papers,  which  were  more  or  less  compromising,  should 
disappear.     Evidently  the  paper  was  stolen.' 

'  I  learnt,'  continued  Prince  Jerome,  '  that  one  of 
the  Emperor's  domestics  had  disappeared  with  some 
17,000  francs.  The  theft  of  money  has  evidently 
served  to  cover  the  abstraction  of  important  papers. 
M.  Thiers  kept  at  Chislehurst  a  number  of  spies.  It 
was  known  that  some  of  these  were  in  the  Emperor's 
service.  It  is  probable  that  the  Government  of  M. 
Thiers,  warned  by  the  Austrian  Government  of  the 
existence  in  the  Emperor  Napoleon's  cabinet  of  papers 
which  might  cause  Prussia  to  be  disagreeable,  secured 

*  Wife  of  the  Austrian  Ambassador  to  France  under  the  Empire. 


13()  EMPRESS  EUGENIE 

their  reinov:\l  hy  a  faitliloss  servant.  Tliat  would 
liave  l)eon  all  tlie  nioiv  easy  to  ac('oni])lish  hocaiise  of 
the  great  carelessness  of  Napoleon  III. 

*  When  the  Emperor  went  out,  lie  placed  the  key 
of  his  bureau  under  the  clock,  and  when  his  back  was 
turni'd  it  was  easy  for  the  Hrst-comer  to  ruiniuai;-e  the 
drawers.  M.  Thiers  was  the  more  disposed,  under  the 
circumstances,  to  come  to  the  aid  of  the  Austrian 
Government,  as  the  pvojet  de  fraite  proved  that  at  the 
beginning;  of  the  war  w^e  were  not  without  alliances,  as 
he  constantly  reminded  the  Chamber  and  others  ;  and 
that,  once  the  document  in  question  had  disappeared, 
he  could,  with  impunity  and  without  fear  of  contra- 
diction, accuse  the  Emperor  of  stupidity  and  lack  of 
foresight.' " 

It  is  not  a  little  curious  that,  after  the  lapse  of 
thirty-four  years,  this  question  of  projets  de  traites 
between  Austria,  Italy,  and  France,  should  have 
cropped  up  in  1906.  Still  more  odd  is  it  that  all  this 
diplomatic  pother  should  have  had  its  origin  in  the 
friendly  visit  of  the  widow  of  the  last  of  the  Bonapartist 
Emperors  to  the  venerable  Kaiser  Francis  Joseph. 

When  the  Emperor  died,  Prince  Jerome  Napoleon 
(whom  Sainte-Beuve  thought  "  a  really  great  man, 
although,  unfortunately,  a  Prince  !")  was  invited  by 
the  Empress  to  Chislehurst  to  discuss  his  late  cousin's 
affairs.  The  room  in  which  Her  Majesty  received  him 
was  so  dark  that  he  could  hardly  see  her.  "  Will  you 
go  into  the  Emperor's  study  and  make  an  inventory 
of  his  papers  ?"  Somewhat  surprised  at  this  request 
being  made  at  such  a  moment,  the  Prince  (so  says 
M.  Darinion)  nevertheless  acceded  to  it.  He  observed 
that  everything  scalable  was  already  sealed — not  by 
the  Emperor's  solicitors,  but  by  M.  Pietri.  The  latter 
broke  the  seals  one  after  another,  but  nothing  of  im- 


THE  TREATY  WHICH  VANISHED       157 

portance  was  found.  Presently  they  came  to  the 
drawer  in  which  Prince  Jerome  had  seen  the  Emperor 
place  the  treaty  with  Austria  which  had  vanished  as 
narrated  above.  "  It  is  useless  to  continue  the  search," 
said  the  Prince.  "  I  see  what  there  is.  I  can  do  nothing 
more  ;"  and  before  leaving  Camden  Place  he  told  the 
Empress  that  he  must  decline  to  have  anything  to  do 
with  the  conduct  of  the  Prince  Imperial's  affairs. 
Self-preservation  is  still  the  first  law  of  Nature  ;  and, 
for  my  own  protection,  I  reassert  that  this  story  of 
the  vanished  treaty  rests  entirely  upon  what  Prince 
Jerome  is  alleged  to  have  said  to  M.  Alfred  Darimon* 
in  the  early  part  of  1873  after  his  visit  to  the  widowed 
Empress  at  Chislehurst. 

*  "  Notes  pour  servir  a  I'histoire  de  la  guerre  de  1870."     By 
Alfred  Darimon.     Paris  :  Paul  Ollendorff. 


CHAPTER  X 

MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL 

On  June  16,  1871,  some  three  months  subsequent 
to  the  arrival  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon  III.  in 
England,  I  witnessed,  at  Berlin,  the  "  Einzug  " — the 
triumphal  entry  of  the  Emperor  William  I.,  the 
German  Princes,  Bismarck,  Moltke,  and  the  other 
generals,  and  many  thousands  of  troops.  I  had  seen 
the  lever  de  rideau  at  Saarbriicken  (it  was  called 
"The  Prince  Imperial's  Baptism  of  Fire"),  and, 
thanks  to  the  then  editor  of  the  Mornins;  Posf^  the 
late  Lord  Glenesk,  I  was  present  at  the  fall  of  the 
curtain  ten  months  later. 

In  his  retreat  at  Chislehurst  Napoleon  III.  read 
the  details  of  the  great  military  spectacle  at  Berlin, 
as  some  time  before  he  had  read,  with  moist  eyes, 
the  story  of  the  conquerors'  "  march  in  "  to  Paris. 
They  "  occupied "  the  Champs  Elysees  and  Place 
de  la  Concorde  two  days  and  two  nights.  On 
the  morning  of  the  third  day  they  marched  out, 
through  the  Arc  de  Triomphe,  "and  then,"  wrote 
Russell,  of  the  Times,  "  for  the  first  time  in  the 
campaign  I  saw  the  Germans  indulge  in  military 
glorification."  They  were  going  home,  leaving  Paris, 
as  Bismarck,  anticipating  Vernon  Harcourt,  said,  "  to 
stew  in  her  own  gravy." 

The    Empress    had   telegraphed   an    appeal  to  the 

15a 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     159 

venera))le  Kaiser  to  spare  Paris  this  last  humiliation 
of  a  "  march  in."  He  could  not  listen  to  such  a 
petition  unmoved,  but  he  could  only  answer  "No!" 

The  National  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty 
to  Children  enrolled  the  Prince  Imperial  as  one  of  its 
prominent  supporters,  and  it  was  hoped  that  he  would 
attend  the  annual  dinner  in  support  of  its  funds  in 
June,  1872.  He  was  unable  to  be  present,  but  he  sent 
a  donation  and  an  expression  of  his  admiration  of  the 
society's  useful  work. 

There  was  a  state  ball  at  Buckingham  Palace  on 
the  28th  of  the  same  month  (the  anniversary  of  Queen 
Victoria's  coronation).  The  Princess  of  Wales  went 
to  Chislehurst  for  the  purpose  of  inviting  the  Emperor 
and  Empress  to  the  entertainment.  Their  Majesties 
could  not  be  induced  to  accept  the  Queen's  gracious 
invitation  ;  they,  however,  sanctioned  the  attendance 
of  the  Prince  Imperial,  who,  then  a  little  over  sixteen, 
made  his  debut  at  the  English  Court.  A  royal  carriage 
took  him  to  and  from  the  palace. 

A  few  days  later  the  Prince,  attended  by  Comte 
Clary  and  M.  Augustin  Filon  (who  in  1909  was 
writing  articles  in  P^nglish  journals),  was  present  at 
the  opening  of  a  new  school  for  Catholic  children  at 
Kingston.  At  St.  Mary's  Church  he  was  received  by 
Canon  Oakeley,  and  Archbishop  Manning  officiated. 
The  children  presented  an  address  to  the  eminent 
prelate,  who  replied  :  "  Do  not  thank  me  ;  it  is  my 
duty  to  be  here.  Rather  thank  the  Prince  Imperial, 
whose  presence  among  us  is  an  act  of  charity,  and 
who  has  desired  to  associate  himself  with  the  poorest 
of  his  brothers  in  Jesus  Christ."  In  the  streets  and 
at  the  school  the  Prince  was  tumultuously  cheered. 
The  Duke  of  Norfolk,  Lord  Gainsborough,  Mr.  Scott- 


ir.O  EMPRESS  EUGENIE 

Miirrav,  nnd  otlior  Icadinu-  Cntliolics  made  tlio  af(|uaint- 
ajice  of  the  Priiu-o,  wlio  u])()n  leaving-  was  grcetetl 
"  witli  that  entliusiasni  wliieli, "  wrote  one  of  the 
chroniclers  of  the  event,  ''  his  name  never  fails  to 
inspire,  joineil  to  that  special  sympathy  which  he 
evokes  in  the  minds  of  Enirlish  people." 

In  the  succeeding  week  the  Prince  was  present  at 
a  Protestant  ceremony  at  Farningham,  the  laying  of 
tlie  foundation-stone  of  a  school  for  children.  Comte 
Clary,  M.  Filon,  and  M.  Louis  Conneau  accompanied 
him.  After  prizes  had  been  presented  by  the  Prince 
to  the  children  there  was  a  lunch  under  canvas.  The 
Prince  was  placed  near  the  Bishop  of  Rochester,  Lord 
Frederick  Cavendish  (the  Fenians'  victim  in  Phoinix 
Park),  ;Mr.  Illingworth,  M.P.,  and  Mr.  Hanbury,  the 
founder  of  the  new^  school.  Lord  Frederick,  in  pro- 
posing the  Prince's  health,  commented  on  "  the  affec- 
tion of  the  English  public  for  his  illustrious  father." 
Cheers  w^ere  given  for  the  Emperor,  for  the  Empress, 
and  for  the  Prince,  and  a  solitary  voice  called  for 
"  Three  more  for  the  Republic  !"  The  proposition 
was  received  with  general  derision,  and  its  author 
abruptly  left  the  marquee. 

The  Prince  replied  in  English  ;  it  was  one  of  the 
very  few  speeches  which  he  ever  made.  He  expressed 
his  sympathy  with  the  preceding  toasts,  more  especi- 
ally with  that  relating  to  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and 
told,  in  apt  phraseology,  how  the  fears  and  hopes  of 
England  for  her  much-loved  Prince  had  been  deeply 
felt  at  Chislehurst. 

More  than  once,  in  the  speeches  which  followed,  the 
Emperor's  name  was  appreciatively  mentioned  in 
association  with  that  of  Cobden  ;  and  of  course  the 
value  of  the  commercial  treaties  was  duly  emphasized. 


ILl.H.    THE   LATE   PRINCE    IMI'EIIIAL. 


]l,f„rr  I,.    |,iO 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     161 

The  Prince  attended  one  of  the  annual  dinners  of 
the  Newspaper  Press  Fund,  and  spoke.  Mr.  T,  P. 
O'Connor,  M.P.,  who  was  present,  has  recently 
described  the  scene  as  "a  Bonapartist  demonstration." 
Cardinal  Manning  was  among  the  guests. 

Even  when  the  central  figure  had  vanished,  life  at 
"  Camden  "  was  by  no  means  stagnant,  uninteresting, 
or  uneventful.  The  Prince  Imperial,  who  since  his 
father's  death  had  become  "  Napoleon  IV.,"  was  still 
a  Woolwich  cadet,  with  liberty  to  spend  the  week-ends 
at  home,  where  there  was  frequent  quiet  entertaining 
of  relations  and  friends.  The  Empress  was  not  seen 
much  about. 

There  was,  for  the  second  time,  in  1873,  pleasant 
preparation  for  the  observance  of  the  15th  of  August 
fete.  The  Empress  had  as  guests  M.  Rouher,  the  late 
Due  d'Albe  (Her  Majesty's  nephew)  and  his  wife,  the 
Due  de  Cabassera,  General  Ney,  and  other  leading 
Bonapartists.  The  Due  de  Bassano  was  still  a  faithful 
resident  adherent,  and  for  the  Fete  of  the  Assumption 
his  son,  the  Marquis,  who  later  succeeded  to  the 
dukedom,  and  died  in  1906,  came  to  Chislehurst.  On 
the  morning  of  the  fete  the  Empress  and  the  Prince 
were  present  at  Mass  at  St.  Mary's,  attended  by 
Mme.  Lebreton-Bourbaki,  Mile,  de  Larminat,  Comte 
Clary,  and  Dr.  Baron  Corvisart.  The  church  was 
filled  by  200  ticket-holders.  All  present  wore  or 
carried  violets  surmounted  by  the  imperial  eagle. 

The  Prince  Imperial  was  addressed  from  the  pulpit 
by  Father  Goddard,  who  brought  his  eloquent  sermon 
to  a  close  with  these  encouraging  admonitory  words  : 

"  Louis  Na])oleon  !  son  of  the  noble  lady  who  has 
shown  us  how  to  bear  with  dignity  the  hardest  trials 
and  the  most  cruel  sorrows,  you  can  never  forget  that 

11 


If.':  EMTKESS  EUGENIE 

urt>at  souls  arc  niaturi'd  in  tlic  school  of  adversity. 
Vou,  Monsi'iuncur,  liavo  already  developed  qualities 
that  jn'ove  you  worthy  of  your  father  and  mother. 
Therefore  ])ersever(.',  and  (rod  will  reward  your 
services  and  your  virtue.  '  Prospera,  procede,  et 
regna  I '" 

Six  hundred  F'rench  men  and  women,  amongst  them 
a  deputation  of  twenty  artisans,  representing  thousands 
of  their  chiss,  had  crossed  the  Channel  to  testify  their 
loyalty  to  the  Empress  and  her  son.  Standing  in 
front  of  the  house,  the  imperial  lady  received  their 
homage  ;  the  Prince  shook  hands  with  all  and  addressed 
them  : 

"  I  thank  you,  in  my  own  name  and  in  that  of  the 
Empress,  because  you  have  come  to  unite  your 
prayers  with  ours,  and  because  you  have  not  for- 
gotten the  way  by  which  you  have  already  sought  us. 
I  also  thank  the  faithful  friends  at  a  distance,  who 
have  sent  us  so  many  tokens  of  their  attachment  and 
devotion.  As  regards  myself,  who  am  a  fugitive,  and 
stand  near  to  the  tomb  of  the  Emperor,  I  aHirm  that 
I  represent  the  principles  and  the  teaching  respecting 
the  government  of  the  people  which  he  has  bequeathed 
to  me  in  writing,  and  which,  moreover,  as  the  very 
foundation  of  the  dynasty,  can  be  condensed  into  the 
motto  to  which  I  shall  always  adhere — '  Govern  for 
the  people  and  by  the  people.' " 

The  Prince  came  of  age  on  his  eighteenth  birthday, 
March  16,  1874.  Naturally,  the  Bonapartists  took 
advantage  of  this  event  to  demonstrate  at  Chislehurst 
"  in  their  thousands." 

On  the  Friday  and  Saturday  before  the  fete,  the 
Empress  and  the  Prince  received  a  number  of  their 
friends — the  Due  de  Bassano,  the  Marquis  de  Lava- 
lette,  the  too-famous  Comte  Nieuwerkerke,  the  Due 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     163 

de  Gramont,  the  Due  de  Padoue,  the  Comte  and 
Comtesse  de  Casablanca,  M.  Pietri  (the  former  Prefect 
of  Police),  and  some  three  hundred  others,  M.  Rouher, 
of  course,  amongst  them. 

The  great  day  began  by  the  celebration  of  Mass  at 
St.  Mary's.  A  few  days  previously  the  Queen  had 
sent  to  the  Empress  the  Emperor's  banner  of  the 
Order  of  the  Garter,  which,  since  1855,  had  hung 
over  His  Majesty's  stall  in  St.  George's  Chapel, 
Windsor.  This  relic  now  occupied  the  place  of 
honour  in  the  mortuary  chapel.  There  had  also  been 
attached  to  the  side  of  the  Emperor's  red  granite  tomb 
a  brass  plate,  with  the  engraved  inscription  :  "  This 
sarcophagus  was  offered  to  the  Empress  Eugenie,  as  a 
mark  of  affectionate  sympathy,  by  Vic.  R.  1873." 
Had  St.  Mary's  been  of  the  dimensions  of  Westminster 
Abbey,  it  would  not  have  held  a  tithe  of  the  thousands 
of  demonstrators.  As  it  was,  only  a  mere  handful 
could  be  admitted.  On  the  stroke  of  eleven,  those 
privileged  persons  who  had  found  places  in  the  little 
church  heard  shouts  of  "  Vive  I'Empereur !"  and 
"  Vive  ITmperatrice!"  The  imperial  lady  entered  on 
the  arm  of  her  son,  followed  by  Prince  Louis  Lucien 
and  Prince  Charles  Bonaparte,  the  Princes  Lucien  and 
Louis  Murat ;  M.  Rouher,  his  wife  and  daughter  ;  the 
Dues  de  Padoue,  de  Gramont,  de  Bassano,  de  Cam- 
baceres,  and  de  Montmorency  ;  Prince  de  Wagram, 
the  Duchesse  de  Malakoff,  the  Marquise  de  Lavalette, 
the  Marquis  and  Marquise  de  Bassano,  Mme.  la 
Marechale  Canrobert,  Comtesse  Fleury,  the  Abbe 
Frechin,  Mile.  Pajot,  Comte  Arjuzin,  Comte  Nieuwer- 
kerke,  Comte  d' Aguado,  Comte  de  La  Chapelle,  Marquis 
de  Lagune,  M.  Delessert,  M.  Grandperret,  M.  Pinard, 
M.  Paul  de  Cassagnac,  M.  Pietri,  Comte  and  Comtesse 

11—2 


Clnrx .  tlic  two  (i()i't(»rs  ((\)rvisart  i\\u\  Conncau),  and 
M.  Aumistin  Filoii.  Tlic  Comtosse  dv  la  Poi'7.o,  Ji 
statclv  and  liandsonio  danio,  in  attcndanco  on  tlic 
Ktnprpss,  was  mucli  remarked. 

1  saw  a  list  of  tifty-si\  out  of  sixty-five  former 
Bonapartist  Pn'fets  (the  nine  others  being  dead),  of 
thirty-ciiiht  Sous-Prefets,  and  of  fortv-Hve  ex-deputies. 
In  the  tlironi::  were  members  of  the  National  Assembly 
(Comte  Murat,  M.  Abbatucci,  and  many  others), 
senators  (including  some  whose  names  are  given 
above  ;  and  also  Baron  de  Riehemont),  and  very  many 
otlicers.  They  pointed  out  to  me  (for  I  was  a 
chronicler  of  the  event  for  the  Morning  Post)  the 
oldest  saleswoman  in  the  Paris  central  markets,  who 
had  been  the  first  to  kiss  the  Prince  Imperial  at  his 
baptism — so  M,  Delessert  assured  me— as  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  wives,  mothers,  and  daughters  of  the 
ouvriers. 

Father  Goddard,  who  during  Mass  had  worn  the 
gold  chasuble  presented  to  him  by  the  Empress, 
presently  doffed  that  gorgeous  vestment,  and,  in  white 
surplice  and  biretta,  entered  the  pulpit.  His  eloquent 
address  is,  I  regret,  too  long  to  be  given  here  in  full, 
but  appended  are  some  of  the  more  vibrating  passages 
of  an  extraordinary  discourse,  which  was  listened  to 
in  the  deepest  silence,  save  that  at  one  point  the 
congregation  could  not  refrain  from  bursting  into 
applause  I 

"  The  illustrious  one  who  there  reposes,"  said  the 
priest,  pointing  to  the  imperial  sarcophagus,  "  on  the 
promises  of  his  faith — had  he,  then,  exhausted  the 
term  of  man's  life  ?  Was  all,  to  him,  withered  ? 
Was  all  spent  ?  Or  what  was  the  cause  of  a  catas- 
trophe as  unexpected   as   it  was  lamentable  ?      Ah! 


MEMOETES  OF  THE  PPtlNCE  IMPERIAL     165 

without  doubt  it  lay  in  grievous  cares  and  labours 
that  would  have  checked  the  nature  of  ordinary  men  ; 
than  in  unheard-of  misfortunes  ;  and,  above  all, 
ingratitude  and  the  enmities  conceived  by  the  most 
tragic  hate.  For,  if  the  Emperor  has  fallen,  he  fell, 
not  by  the  act  of  France,  but  by  the  act  of  the  foes 
of  the  human  race,  who  dared  to  undertake  the  most 
ill-judged  revolt  ever  known,  a  revolt  in  front  of  a 
victorious  enemy."  (It  was  at  this  point  that  the 
feelings  of  all  present  overcame  them.)  "  And  yet 
that  noble  victim  of  the  direst  crimes  here  below — 
that  heroic  soul,  always  at  peace  with  itself — was 
always  good,  always  benevolent,  covering  with  his 
protection  and  his  favours  all  that  was  weak  and 
suffering.  Never  did  that  noble  nature,  in  the  burn- 
ing heat  even  of  his  most  bitter  reminiscences,  give 
itself  up  to  the  temptation  of  confounding  even  its 
most  culpable  foes.  I  know  that  I  am  dealing  with 
no  novelty  to  anybody  in  this  august  assembly.  No 
secular  occupation  has  been  dearer  to  your  patriotism 
than  the  study  of  the  magnificent  story  which  tells  to 
the  remotest  ages  how,  during  long  and  happy  years, 
Napoleon  HI.  gave  to  France  power  and  glory.  And 
even  now  before  us  light  begins  to  shine  again,  and 
history,  which  has  ])egun  somewhat  tardily  to  judge, 
yet  now  judging  with  justice,  places  the  Emperor  in 
the  front  rank  of  the  greatest  and  noblest  of  men. 
The  Emperor  has  left  a  son — a  Prince  born  on  the 
footpace  of  the  most  illustrious  of  thrones,  with  his 
birthrio-ht  more  enviable  than  that  of  all  other 
crowned  Sovereigns.  Then,  one  day,  by  a  thunder- 
bolt, it  pleased  Him  who  governs  worlds  to  submit 
the  Prince  to  the  anguish  of  the  most  terrible  troubles. 
But  nothing  is  lost  without  a  way  of  recovering  it. 
To  render  himself  stronger  than  the  ruins  of  adversity 
and  meet  the  discouragement  of  exile,  this  Prince, 
studying  at  the  chair  of  Mars  of  our  epoch,  re- 
membered that  he  is  eighteen  years  old,  and  he  ran 
to  renew  with  Heaven,  at  the  feet  of  those  holy  altars, 
this  touching  engagement  of  his  own  self-sacritice  and 


166  KMPRERS  EUOF.NTE 

i>f  his  uloi'ioiis  destinies.  jMndame,  proved  like  gold 
ill  the  tire,  let  iiothini;-  iibnte  either  your  eneri^y  or 
\ our  patieiu'i',  and  von  will  leave  your  martyrdom 
more  iilorious  than  ever.  The  work  to  which  you  have 
devoted  vourself  is  now  accom])lished.  Your  sublime 
example  and  yt)nr  wise  counsels  hear  their  fruit. 
l)i'ii;n  once  more  to  unite  your  prayers  with  oiirs,  and 
pray  Our  Lord  to  favour  with  His  grace  our  best 
aspirations !" 

Perha})s  in  its  translated  form  (it  was  delivered  in 
most  eloquent,  stately  French)  Father  Goddard's  dis- 
course may  strike  the  severe  critic  as,  in  parts,  verging 
upon  the  grandiloquent.  Its  effect  upon  the  listeners 
Avas  indescribable.  Even  the  men  could  not  always, 
nor  did  the}^  attempt  to,  conceal  their  emotion.  They 
loved  their  Emperor,  and  they  would  have  scouted  the 
idea  that,  in  his  fervent  eulogy  of  the  virtues  of  the 
dead,  the  preacher  had,  in  any  one  of  his  glowing- 
sentences,  forced  the  note. 

While  Mass  was  being  sung,  thousands  of  French 
people  had  been  assembling  on  the  common,  brought 
by  several  special  trains  from  London  ;  and  the  Em- 
press and  her  son  drove  back  to  Camden  Place  amidst 
every  conceivable  demonstration  of  respectful  admira- 
tion. We  contrasted  the  festal  appearance  of  the 
grounds  and  house  with  their  lugubrious  aspect  of 
days  not  very  remote  ;  for  only  some  fourteen  months 
had  elapsed  since  the  Emperor's  funeral. 

The  guests  had  no  reason  to  complain  of  a  lack 
of  hospitality.  Far  from  it.  They  were  regaled  in 
marquees,  the  largest  accommodating  3,000  people. 
The  storm  of  1870  had  swept  away  an  Empire  and 
had  made  gaps  in  the  ranks  of  Bonapartist  society, 
but  there  was  still  in  1874  a  Napoleonic  Itaut  monde, 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     167 

as,  indeed,  there  is  in  1910.  Most  of  those  who  had 
been  conspicuous  at  the  Court  of  the  Tuileries,  at 
St.  Cloud,  and  at  Compiegne  were  to  be  seen  at  this 
fite  imperiale^  the  first  and  only  gathering  of  its  kind 
ever  witnessed  in  England. 

In  the  principal  marquee,  with  its  platform  for  the 
members  of  the  imperial  household  and  a  few  others, 
the  coming  of  the  young  Prince  was  feverishly 
awaited.  He  was  now  Napoleon  IV.,  "  holding  in 
his  hands,"  as  he  read  in  the  next  day's  Times^  "  the 
Second  Empire,"  and  "  only  awaiting  the  opportunity 
to  transform  it  into  a  Third."  The  heart  of  the  Boy 
of  Chislehurst  leapt  with  an  indescribable  joy  as  he 
read  on  :  "  The  Second  Empire  was  overthrown  by 
the  Prussians  and  the  Republicans,  but  its  organiza- 
tion remains  intact.  In  Paris  they  talk  more  than 
ever  of  the  Empire  and  the  Prince  Imperial.  They 
return  unceasingly  to  the  same  topic,  as  if  there  were 
no  other  political  prospect — as  if  beyond  that  there 
are  only  darkness  and  chaos." 

Such  was  the  amazing  effect  upon  Printing  House 
Square  of  the  imperial  fete. 

While  the  Chislehurst  festivities  were  at  their 
height,  the  members  of  the  National  Assembly  at 
Versailles  were  discussing  the  Prince's  speech  in  reply 
to  the  address  read  at  "Camden"  by  the  Due  de  Padoue. 
The  Bonapartist  manifesto — for  such  it  was — had 
been  telegraphed  to  Paris,  and  one  of  the  organs  of  the 
party  had  printed  it  on  its  front  page,  in  very  large 
type,  thus  informing  the  million  that  Bonapartism 
was  anything  but  dead,  or  even  moribund.  The 
Prince  delivered  this  harangue  in  vibrating  tones  : 

"  In  meeting  here  to-day  you  have  been  actuated 
by  a  sentiment  of  fidelity  towards  the  memory  of  the 


ICS  KMPllKSS  EUGF.NIE 

Enii»eror,  niul  it  is  for  tluit  I  wish,  lirst  oi"  all,  to 
tliank  \o\\.  T\w  public  coiiscieiice  lias  avcnjjcd  tlu- 
caliuiinit.'s  on  his  great  career,  and  sees  the  Eni])eror 
now  in  his  true  liiiht.  You  who  come  from  various 
parts  of  the  country — you  can  hear  this  testimony. 
His  reiiiu  was  only  a  constant  solicitude  for  tlie  well- 
being  of  all.  His  last  day  on  the  soil  of  France 
was  a  day  of  heroism  and  abnegation  of  self.  Your 
])resence  around  me,  the  addresses  which  reach  me  in 
such  great  numbers,  prove  the  inquietude  of  France 
as  to  her  future  destinies.  Order  is  protected  by  the 
sword  of  the  Due  de  Magenta,  and  he  will  not  leave 
the  trust  he  has  received  exposed  to  party  attacks. 
But  material  order  is  not  security.  The  future  re- 
mains unknown  ;  interests  are  alarmed  at  it,  and 
passions  may  abuse  the  opportunity.  From  this  is 
born  the  sentiment  of  which  vou  bring  me  the  echo — 
that  which  draws  opinion  with  an  irresistible  power 
tow^ards  a  direct  appeal  to  the  nation  to  plant  the 
foundations  of  a  definitive  Government.  The  p/eb- 
iscife  is  the  true  salvation,  and  it  is  just  —  power 
rendered  to  authority,  and  the  era  of  long  security 
reopened  to  the  country.  It  is  a  grand  national 
resource,  without  conquerors  or  conquered,  raising 
itself  above  all  and  bringing  reconciliation.  Will 
France  fi'eely  turn  her  eyes  to  the  son  of  Napo- 
leon III.  ?  This  thought  awakens  in  me  less  of  pride 
than  of  distrust  of  my  capabilities.  The  Emperor 
has  taught  me  how  heavily  weighs  the  Sovereign 
authoritv,  even  on  stalwart  shoulders,  and  how  much 
self-reliance  and  the  sentiment  of  duty  are  necessary 
to  fulfil  so  high  a  mission.  This  faith  makes  up  to 
me  what  is  wanting  in  my  youth.  United  to  my 
mother  by  the  most  tender  and  most  grateful  ties  of 
affection,  I  will  w^ork  without  ceasing  to  anticipate 
the  progress  of  years.  When  the  hour  shall  arrive, 
if  another  Government  should  gain  the  suffrages  of 
the  majority,  I  will  bow  down  with  respect  before  the 
decision  of  the  country.  If  the  name  of  the  Napo- 
leons should  for  the  eighth   time  emerge  from  the 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PKTNCE  IMPERIAL     169 

popular  urns,  I  am  ready  to  accept  the  responsibility 
which  will  be  imposed  upon  me  by  the  vote  of  the 
nation.  These  are  my  thoughts.  I  thank  you  for 
having  traversed  a  long  distance  and  come  to  receive 
my  expression  of  them.  Carry  my  memory  to  those 
who  are  absent,  and  to  France  the  prayers  of  one  of 
her  children.  My  courage  and  my  life  belong  to  her. 
May  God  watch  over  her  and  restore  to  her  her 
prosperity  and  her  greatness  !" 

There  was  a  storm  of  applause,  with  frantic  shouts 
of  "  Vive  Napoleon  Quatre  !"  The  crowd  outside 
swelled  the  jubilant  chorus. 

The  absence  from  the  coming-of-age  celebration 
of  Prince  (Jerome)  Napoleon  and  his  sons  was,  of 
course,  remarked.  It  was  commented  upon  with 
shrugs  of  the  shoulders  and  grimaces.  I  heard  no 
particular  expressions  of  regret — no  wonder,  for  the 
burly  Jerome  was  always  something  of  a  spoil-sport, 
always  at  daggers  drawn  with  the  Empress,  while 
maintaining  cordial  relations  with  the  Prince  Im- 
perial. On  the  eve  of  the  gathering,  Paul  de  Cas- 
sagnac,  who  was  invariably  primed  with  attractive 
crumbs  of  information  denied  to  less  favoured  pur- 
veyors of  news,  telegraphed  from  Chislehurst  to  his 
journal  the  appetizing  morsel  :  "  A  final  rupture 
has  taken  place  between  Prince  Napoleon  and  the 
Empress  and  the  Prince  Imperial,  through  the  re- 
fusal of  the  former  to  be  present  at  Camden  Place 
on  the  16th."  How  severely  the  fete  had  got  on  the 
nerves  of  the  Government  of  the  Republic  (although 
President  MacMahon  must  personally  have  been 
highly  amused  over  the  whole  affair)  was  seen  by 
the  publication  in  J^ondon  of  a  Paris  telegram  an- 
nouncing, to  the  merriment  of  all  those  principally 
concerned,  that  the  Minister  for  War  was   "  about " 


170  EMrUESS  EUGP.NIE 

t(^  issue  vet  aiiotluT  circuhir,  (leclariiiii-  that  no 
autliori/.atioii  would  1k'  iirautcd  to  oHicers  of  the  army 
to  ijo  to  Euii'laucl,  ''L'vtMi  alU'i*  the  IGth  of  Mareli  !" 

A  few  (lavs  l)et'oi'e  this  event  tlie  Frencli  (lovern- 
nunt  liacl  issued  a  warniuii;  eireuhir  witli  intent  to 
dissuade  ]>eople  from  taking-  part  in  the  manifestation. 
I>ut  tliis  was  of  no  avail  ;  and  it  was  humorously 
said  on  the  boulevards  that  there  was  no  "  demon- 
stration "  in  Paris  for  the  verv  o-ood  reason  that  there 
were  no  Bonapartists  left  in  the  capital.  They  had 
all  gt)ne  to  Chislehurst  !  There  was,  in  fact,  only 
one  conspicuous  absentee  —  Prince  Napoleon.  For 
that  truly  Bonapartist  figure  we  looked  around  in 
vain.  His  absence  was  thus  explained  by  a  sympa- 
thizing friend,  signing  himself  "  A  Republican  "  : 

"  In  writing  the  following,  T  express  with  full 
authority  the  views  of  Prince  Napoleon  on  the  gather- 
ing at  Chislehurst.  If  the  demonstration  at  Camden 
House  (.v/c)  had  not,  from  the  very  commencement, 
assumed  the  character  of  an  Imperialist  manifesto, 
and  if  the  name  and  policy  of  Prince  Napoleon 
(Jerome)  had  not  been  for  some  months  past  the 
mark  for  coarse  vituperation  on  the  part  of  those 
whose  counsels  are  followed  at  Chislehurst,  it  would 
have  been  unnecessary  to  trouble  you  w^th  these  lines. 

Adherino;  to  the  democratic  and  anti  -  clerical 
policy  which  he  has  always  maintained,  Prince  Napo- 
leon finds  himself  in  entire  opposition  to  those  men 
whose  influence  proved  so  fatal  to  France  under 
Napoleon  III.,  and  whose  counsels  to-day  differ  but 
little  from  the  advice  tendered  to  the  Comte  de 
Chambord  by  the  supporters  of  Legitimacy.  Several 
French  and  English  journals  have  named  the  Prince 
Napoleon  as  intending  to  be  present  at  Camden  House. 
While  it  is  almost  needless  to  contradict  this  rumour, 
it  may  not  be  inappropriate  to  point  out  to  the  English 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     171 

public  how  bitter  have  been  the  reproaches  offered  in 
the  Pays  (the  mouthpiece  of  the  Chislehurst  Council) 
against  Prince  Napoleon,  because,  true  to  his  ancient 
professions,  he  met  halfway  those  of  the  French 
democracy,  who,  remembering  that  France  existed 
before  party,  sought  in  a  thorough  union  of  French- 
men to  avoid  the  reinauguration  role  of  the  White 
Flag  with  wliich  France  was  recently  threatened. 
Attacked  by  the  Royalists  of  all  shades — Legitimist, 
Orleanist,  and  Rouherian  —  because  he  affirms  the 
happiness  of  France  as  of  higher  import  than  the 
personal  claims  of  any  'dynasty,'  Prince  Napoleon 
repeats  to-day  his  lifelong  affirmation,  and  refuses 
to  mix  with  those  Avhose  counsels  to  Prince  Louis  at 
Chislehurst  are  pregnant  with  possible  consequences 
of  the  most  disastrous  character.  What  France  needs 
is  the  aid  of  her  ablest  men  to  pilot  her  through  a 
period  the  troubles  of  which  have  not  ceased  ;  and 
she  has  need  to  be  relieved  from  the  constant  con- 
spiracies of  those  who  urge  to  the  front  either  efFete- 
ness  or  inefficiency  in  the  name  of  a  family  or  a 
dynasty." 

Shortly  after  this  coming- of -age  fete  at  Chislehurst, 
the  inmates  of  Camden  Place  were  jubilant  at  the 
election  (subsequently  annulled)  of  M.  de  Bourgoing 
for  the  Department  of  the  Nievre.  This  gentleman  had 
been  an  equerry  of  Napoleon  III.,  and  he  defeated  his 
Republican  opponent  by  more  than  5,000  votes.  It 
was  a  momentous  event,  and  temporarily  filled  the 
hearts  of  the  exiles  with  great  hopes.  A  circular 
issued  on  the  occasion  of  the  election  left  no  doubt 
that  an  agitation  of  considerable  proportions  was  being 
carried  on  in  the  interests  of  the  Bonapartist  dynasty, 
although  M.  Rouher  disclaimed  all  knowledge  of  the 
existence  of  any  imperialist  "  committees."  In  the 
face  of  this  disclaimer,  an  imperialist  journal,  IJAbeille 
des  Pyrenees^  asserted  that  there  was  a  "  committee  "  in 


17-2  KMPKESS  FUGF.NIE 

I'aris  and  oiu'  in  ovitv  dcpMrtnuMit.  Paniplilcts  and 
newspapers,  advocatini;'  an  appeal  to  tlie  j)e()])le  and 
euloj^izini;'  '' Najioleon  I\'.,"  were  distril)Mted  rii;lit 
and  left,  as  were  photoi;ra])iis  of  tin'  Woolwieli  eadet, 
now  in  his  nineteenth  year  and  eultivating  a  uioustaclie. 
Marshal  Mat-Mahon,  then  President,  declared,  to  the 
i!^enerai  surprise,  tliat  he  would  not  allow  this  kind  oi" 
thinii' to  eontiuue.  It  had  heen  a  snhject  ot"  discussion 
that,  whereas  a  news])a]>er  called  L'l^nion  had  been 
suspended  for  a  fortnight  for  publishing  a  manifesto 
of  the  Coiute  de  Chambord,  sigued  "Henri  V.,"  the 
Prince  Imperial's  Chislehurst  address  had  been  allowed 
to  circulate  everywhere.  It  may  be  noted  in  ])assing 
that  about  this  time  (1<S74)  there  died  that  remarkable 
polemist,  M.  Beule,  who  had  published  in  the  Revue 
des  Deux  Mondes^  before  the  fall  of  the  Empire,  a 
series  of  scathing  studies  of  the  Cj^sars,  in  which  he 
pleasantly  compared  Napoleon  III.  to  the  Emperors 
Caligula  and  Domitian. 

Although  Prince  Jerome  Napoleon  was  in  open 
conflict  with  the  Empress,  and  also  with  the  party  as 
a  whole,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  his  imperial 
cousin.  Napoleon  III.,  frequently  consulted  him,  had 
a  high  opinion  of  his  great  natural  ability,  and, 
generaUy  speaking,  maintained  his  friendship  with 
him.  The  Prince  and  his  sister,  Princesse  Mathilde, 
had  both  stoutly  opposed  the  Emperor's  marriage,  and 
this  hostility  to  her  had,  naturally,  not  predisposed  the 
Empress  to  regard  favourably  those  two  principal 
members  of  her  consort's  family.  It  should  be 
remembered,  too,  that  Prince  Napoleon,  upon  the 
Emperor's  death,  regarded  himself,  and  not  without 
reason,  as  the  head  of  the  House.  Moreover,  imme- 
diately after  the  receipt  of  the  tragic  news  from  the 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PEINCE  IMPERIAL     173 

Cape,  M.  Roiiher,  asked  at  Chislehiirst  by  M.  Mont- 
joyeux,  "  Who  will  take  tlie  place  of  the  Prince 
Imperial  ?"  replied,  "  Prince  Jerome,  if  he  will  accept 
the  heavy  burden." 

"  It  will  be  very  difficult  for  the  Prince  to  re- 
concile his  past  acts  and  words  with  the  exigencies 
imposed  upon  him  by  the  future,"  observed  Mont- 
joyeux. 

M.  Rouher  rejoined :  "  Certain  men  have  not  the 
right  to  shirk  responsibilities  imposed  upon  them  by 
F^te." 

This,  it  is  true,  is  anticipating  events.  I  have, 
however,  interpolated  this  brief  conversation  in  order 
to  make  it  clear  that,  however  much  M.  Rouher  may 
have  differed  from  Prince  Napoleon  in  1874,  the 
"Vice-Emperor"  was  clearly  of  opinion  in  1879  that 
Jerome  was  the  legitimate  successor  of  the  Prince 
Imperial,  whose  will,  nominating  Prince  Victor  as  the 
chief  of  the  party,  had  not  at  the  time  in  question 
been  opened. 

This  birthday  gathering,  at  which  the  fine  fleur  of 
the  Bonapartist  party  assisted,  w^as  notable  as  being 
the  only  occasion  on  wdiich  the  French  Government 
attempted  to  interfere  with  the  festivities  or  solemni- 
ties at  Chislehurst.  First  came  the  warning  circular 
to  the  Pref ets,  and  next  the  Minister  for  War  addressed 
this  letter  to  all  the  generals  who  had  requested  per- 
mission to  visit  England  about  the  time  of  the  coming- 

of-age  fete  : 

Verrahxes, 

March  4,  1874. 
General, 

I  have  the  honour  to  inform  you  that,  in  ac- 
cordance with  your  request,  you  are  authorized  for 
a  period  of  eight  days  to  absent  yourself  from  Paris, 


17  1  KMHiKSS   la'CJKNlE 

whcri'  you  arc  rc^idinii',  to  i;-o  to  Eiii^laiul.  Rut,  in 
couscijutMUT  ot*  the  uicasures  rt'ccMitly  taken  hy  the 
Government,  olliccrs  and  tunctionaries  must  abstain 
from  heim::  in  London  on  Marcdi  Hi.  1  must  there- 
tore  recjuest  that  you  will  make  use  of  the  present 
authorization  so  as  to  be  back  in  France  on  the  12th  of 
this  Hjonth,  or  in  sucli  a  wav  as  not  to  be  in  Knc-hmd 
before  the  l^Oth.  I  further  hv^r  that  you  will  make 
known  to  me  in  good  time  the  day  of  your  departure, 
as  well  as  that  of  vour  return." 


"  The  next  step  to  be  taken  now,"  wrote  the  Paris 
correspondent  of  the  Daily  Telegraph,  "  is  to  send  two 
or  three  men-of-war  on  a  cruise  in  the  Channel,  with 
orders  to  capture  Napoleon  IV.  if  he  should  set  sail 
for  France." 

Despite  the  Ministerial  order,  I  learnt  at  the  time 
from  those  at  Chislehurst  who  should  have  known, 
that  several  French  officers  were  present  at  the 
festivities.  Their  names,  however,  did  not  appear 
in  any  of  the  papers. 

The  Due  de  Padoue  was  not  much  disconcerted 
when  he  received  a  polite  intimation  that  he  was 
suspended  from  the  office  of  Mayor  of  his  village  for 
being  "  present  at  the  manifestation  which  occurred 
in  England  on  March  16,  after  having  taken  part 
in  its  organization."  His  supplementary  crime,  as 
recorded  by  the  Prefet  of  the  Seine-et-Oise  (H.  Lun- 
bourg),  consisted  in  "  not  abstaining  from  being 
present,"  and  so  failing  "  in  the  attitude  incumbent 
upon  his  functions."  Therefore,  "  ]\I.  le  Due  de 
Padoue,  Mayor  of  Courson  d'Aulnay,"  was  "  suspended 
from  his  functions";  and  the  Sous-Prefet  of  Ram- 
bouillet  was  "  charged  w^ith  the  execution  of  the 
present   decree."      I    fancy  that   the    Berenger    Law 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     175 

was  not  in  operation  in  1874,  or  the  poor  Due  de 
Padoue  might  have  pleaded  that  this  was  really  his 
first  offence,  and  so  escaped  the  awful  doom  of 
suspension  from  his  mayoral  duties  and  privileges. 
I  was  almost  forgetting  to  say  that  the  official  journal 
of  the  Due  de  Broglie  complained  that  the  Prince 
Imperial  himself  was  a  principal  offender,  for  he  had 
"  defied  the  Septennial  Government "  of  Marshal 
MacMahon  ;  and  added  the  gratuitous,  not  to  say 
foolish,  assertion  that  "  the  suspension  of  the  Due  de 
Padoue  was  the  reply  of  the  Septennate  to  the  Prince 
Imperial." 

Those  were  happy  days  which  Cadet  the  Prince 
Imperial  spent  at  the  R.M.A.  at  Woolwich.  They 
came  to  an  end  early  in  1875.  On"  February  16,  the 
Prince  being  then  one  of  the  senior  class,  the  Duke  of 
Cambridge  presided  at  the  award  of  commissions  and 
prizes.  The  Empress,  accompanied  by  Lady  Sydney, 
drove  over  to  witness  the  scene,  and  smiled  as  the 
cheery  Duke  shouted,  "  Fall  out,  the  Prince  Imperial !" 
For  about  ten  minutes  the  Empress  watched  her  son 
drilling  the  cadets,  and  with  maternal  pride  heard  the 
Commander-in-Chief  exclaim,  in  a  voice  which  rang 
through  the  drill-ground  :  "  Very  good !  Could  not 
have  been  better!"  Sir  John  Lintorn  Simmons,  then 
Governor  of  the  Academy,  had  something  highly 
complimentary  to  say  of  the  young  man  who  was 
taking  farewell  of  many  of  his  comrades  for  the  last 
time.  Several  of  them  were  recommended  for  com- 
missions, but  it  was  officially  announced  that  "  the 
Prince  Imperial  does  not  take  a  commission."  A  few 
days  later  (February  23)  the  Prince  was  entertained 
at  mess  by  the  officers  of  the  Royal  Artillery  stationed 
at  Woolwich. 


176  KMIMJKSS  Eri^iRNMK 

(hi  tlu'  walls  o{  tiic  rrinco's  (|uarti'rs  at  Woolwicli 
wort'  to  bo  stcn  I>otaill(''s  ''  DoniitTe  (^irtoiiciie, "  the 
most  popular  of  all  tlu'  pictures  of  the  war  of  1S7()  ; 
the  *'  S;ilut  au\  l>lesst5s,"  auotlu  r  faxourite  canvas  in 
everv  country  ;  and,  iinmediately  over  liis  writing- 
tahje.  the  "  (^ani])enient  du  l^rinc(^  Napoldon  en 
Crinue,"  wliicli  nuist  have  ilattered  the  vanity  of 
"  Plon-Plon  ''  if  lie  ever  saw  it.  Sir  Lintorn  Simmons 
was  much  attached  to  the  Prince,  and  was  a  regular 
visitor  at  "  Camden/' 

After  his  liealth  had  been  drunk,  the  Prince, 
addressing  Major-General  D'Aguilar,  commandant  of 
the  garrison,  and  president  of  the  evening,  said  : 

"General  D'Aguilar  and  officers  of  the  Royal  Artil- 
lery,— I  thank  you  for  the  kind  words  I  have  just 
heard,  and  for  the  hearty  manner  in  which  you 
received  the  mention  of  my  name.  1  hope  that  the 
officers  of  this  royal  regiment  of  artillery  will  allow 
me  still  to  consider  myself  as  belonging  to  this  corps. 
Thanks  to  the  hospitality  of  England,  I  have  been 
enabled  to  carry  on  the  traditions  of  my  family,  which 
has  always  been  a  family  of  o-unners.  I  have  not  been 
able  to  obtain  an  education  in  my  own  country,  but  1 
am  proud  of  having  had  for  companions  the  sons  of 
the  men  who  have  fought  with  us  so  bravely  on  many 
a  field  of  Ijattle.  At  all  events,  I  never  can  forget  the 
two  years  I  have  spent  in  this  garrison,  or  fail  to 
estimate  highly  the  honour  of  belonging  to  a  corps 
whose  motto  is  Uhique  quo  fas  et  gloria  ducunt." 

The  Prince  Imperial's  study  at  Camden  Place  was 
the  comfortable  room  of  a  student  and  young  soldier 
— tapestried,  and  full  of  trophies  of  arms  and  books. 
The  Prince.,  wrote  one  of  his  friends,  greeted  you  with 
a  hearty  shake  of  the  hand.  You  saw  at  once  the 
ijentleman    cadet   and    the    Prince.      A   face    full  of 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     177 

intelligence,  the  brow  like  his  mother's,  but  the 
dominant  effect  akin  to  that  of  the  kindly,  expressive, 
mysterious  countenance  of  his  father.  The  Prince 
commanded  a  strong  interest  at  once.  The  inclina- 
tion of  the  head,  and  the  strong,  manly  timbre  of  the 
voice,  revealed  the  father  in  the  son.  Nor  was  it 
possible  to  talk  long  with  him  without  tracing  the 
influence  of  the  father's  sweet  temper  and  tender 
heart.  The  comely,  bright-witted,  courageous  boy 
grew  up  with  his  father's  arms  about  his  neck,  and  his 
ears  were  filled  with  those  dreams  of  a  reconstructed 
society,  in  which  there  was  to  be  no  suffering  and  no 
poverty,  that  filled  the  mind,  even  to  the  bitter  end,  of 
the  humanitarian  Emperor. 

The  Prince  had  ardent  friendships,  made  at  Wool- 
wich, and  he  kept  about  him  in  happy  companionship 
the  playfellows  of  his  infancy  with  whom  he  had 
trundled  his  hoop  along  the  terraces  of  the  Tuileries. 
With  these  he  enjoyed  all  kinds  of  manly  sports.  He 
was  a  tine  fencer.  On  Sunday  afternoons  the  dining- 
room  was  often  cleared  and  devoted  to  fencing.  He 
learnt  boxing,  too,  and  the  savate^  and  was  fond  of 
singlestick.  He  gave  anxious  hours  to  the  party  of 
which  he  had  become  not  only  the  titular,  but  the 
working  and  directing,  chief.  Sometimes  his  twenty 
years  asserted  a  little  right  to  merriment,  and  when 
the  arrival  of  some  portentous  personage  was 
announced,  he  would  vault  out  of  the  window  of  his 
study  into  the  park,  and  whistle  his  dogs  to  follow 
him. 

The  Prince  was  a  very  early  riser,  getting  up 
before  six  o'clock,  and,  after  his  Russian  tea  and  toast, 
going  to  his  study  to  begin  the  morning's  work  with 
M.  Filon.    At  ten,  Uhlmann,  the  valet,  appeared,  with 

12 


178  KMPKKSS  FATCRNIK 

tlir  aiiiuninconu'iil  tlinl   M()iis('iL:,iu'ur's  horse  wasrcadv 
for  liiiu. 

In  CJiU'Cii  \'i(iori:i  and  tlic  Hiikc  of  ( 'aiuhridj^c  tlio 
Prince  Ini])orial  liad  jx-rliaps  liis  best  friends,  tlie 
(^ueon  esj>e(ially  always  liaving  disj)layed  tlio  (k'e])est 
interest  in  liis  future.  ( )f  the  ineident  at  Woolwieli 
noted  ahove,  tlie  l)uke  writes  in  liis  diarv,*  under 
date  Febniarv  15,  187')  : 

"  Went  to  Woohvieh  for  the  public  day  of  the 
Royal  (Military)  Academy.  Saw  tlie  cadets,  who 
drilled  and  looked  well.  The  Prince  Imperial  drilled 
them  remarkably  well  when  called  u))on.  The  Em- 
press Eugenie  was  present  throughout  the  day.  She 
went  with  me  to  see  tlie  drawings,  then  into  the 
gymnasium,  where  the  re])orts  were  read  and  the 
prizes  given.  The  Prince  Imperial  took  the  seventh 
place  in  the  list — a  most  excellent  position  for  a  cadet 
eleven  months  younger  tlian  tlie  greater  jjortion  of  his 
class,  and  who  had  to  do  his  duty  in  a  foreign 
language.  .  .  .  Saw^  the  rides,  which  w^ere  excellent. 
The  Prince  Imperial  took  the  first  place  ;  also  first  in 
fencing." 

And  Her  Majesty  WTote  to  the  Duke  of  Cambridge 
on  the  same  occasion  cf 

"  I  am  truly  gratified  and  pleased  at  the  success  of 
the  dear  young  Prince  Imperial,  I  have  written,  as 
well  as  telegraphed,  to  the  Empress  about  it,but  am  glad 
to  repeat  it  to  you  here.  Who  knows  what  his  future 
may  be.  and  the  Academy  will,  I  am  sure,  alw^ays  feel 
proud  that  he  distinguished  himself  in  their  school, 

*  "  H.R.H.  George,  Duke  of  Cambridge.  A  Memoir  of  his 
Private  Life.  Based  on  the  Journals  and  Correspondence  of  His 
Royal  Highness."  Edited  by  Edgar  Sheppard,  C.V.O.,  D.D.,  Sub- 
Dean  of  His  Majesty's  Chapels  Royal.  2  vols.  London  :  Long- 
mans, Green  and  Co.,  1906. 

t  Ibid. 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     179 

and  that  he  should  have  acquitted  himself  so  honour- 
ably, and,  above  all,  behaved  so  well  I" 

After  passing  out  of  the  Academy,  the  Prince 
Imperial,  firmly  bent  upon  a  military  career,  coide  que 
codte^  sought  the  Commander-in-Chief's  permission  to 
take  part  in  the  autumn  manoeuvres,  and  received 
from  the  Duke  this  gratifying  communication  : 

"June  7,  1875. 

My  dear  Prince, 

I  have  received  your  Imperial  Highness's 
letter  of  the  6th  inst.,  in  which  you  express  a  wish  to 
be  permitted  to  join  and  do  duty  with  a  battery  of 
our  Royal  Artillery  at  the  autumn  manoeuvres  soon 
about  to  commence.  In  reply,  I  have  great  pleasure 
in  assuring  you  that  there  will  be  no  ditJiculty  in 
carrying  out  your  wishes,  and  I  have  obtained  the 
sanction  of  Her  Majesty's  Government  to  your  being- 
attached  to  a  battery  for  the  purpose  stated,  wearing 
the  uniform  of  an  officer  of  the  corps.  I  can  assure 
you  that  it  affords  me  great  pleasure  to  see  you 
continuing  your  military  studies,  which  you  have 
commenced  at  the  Academy  at  Woolwich  in  so 
creditable  and  highly  honourable  a  manner,  and  I  beg 
to  remain,  my  dear  Prince, 

Your  most  affectionate  Cousin, 

Cambridge." 

The  Queen  was  much  pleased  that  the  Prince's 
natural  request  had  been  granted,  and  wrote  to  the 
Duke  :* 

"...  to  acknowledge  your  letter  enclosing  the 
Prince  Imperial's  nice  one.  I  am  very  glad  that  it 
has  been  arranged  that  he  should  be  attached  to  a 
battery  of  artillery — the  more  so  as  I  believe  that  I 
am  the  person  who  first  suggested  it  to  him,  indirectly, 
through  Lord  Cowley  [then  H.B.M.  Ambassador  in 

*  "  Memoir  of  the  Duke  of  Cambridge,"  previously  cited. 

12—2 


180  i:mim;i:ss  ktcrnik 

Paris],  sDiUf  luoiitlis  :ii;«>,  wlii'ii  1k'  spoke  to  uie  of 
>vliat  could  l)('  tlt)m'  to  occiijiv  liiiii.  Will  he  l:;o  tlit're 
at  onvv  or  later  ?" 

Ami  wlu'ii,  till'  lU'Nt  year  (1876),  the  youni!;  mau 
made  a  similar  appliiation,  the  (^ueen,  in  '' i;ladly 
jianctioninu"  it,  wrote  to  the  Duke  :  "  1  am  so  i:;lad  to 
think  that  it  is  in  our  power  to  do  sometliiniz:  for  this 
amiahle  and  interestim;-  young  Prinee.  ' 

Some  three  years  later  the  Prince  was  accorded  per- 
mission to  join  our  forces  in  Zululand,  but  merely,  in 
the  words  of  the  Duke  of  Caml)ridge,"as  a  spectator" — 
a  fact  wholly  ignored  hy  all  the  French  Angloi)hobe 
commentators  on  the  tragedy  of  the  Blood  River, 
and  by  many  of  our  own  writers.  In  view  of  what 
ha])pened  this  cannot  be  too  often  insisted  upon. 

When  it  became  know^n  that  the  Prince  was  al)out 
to  proceed  to  the  Cape,  all  the  Sovereigns  in  Europe 
sent  telegrams  to  the  Empress.  The  Prince's  journey 
to  Southampton  was  a  series  of  triumphs.  Crowds 
cheered  him  ;  generals  and  others  surrounded  him, 
and  treated  him  as  if  he  had  been  the  Emperor. 
Baron  Tristan  Lambert  (who  subsequently  turned 
Royalist)  and  the  Comte  de  la  Bedoyere  arrived  at 
Camden  Place  at  half -past  six  on  the  morning  of  his 
departure.  The  Prince  was  already  up  ;  and,  accom- 
panied by  Lambert,  he  drove  to  the  church,  heard 
Mass,  and  communicated.  At  Camden  Place  they 
all  breakfasted  together.  The  Empress  was  much 
moved,  but  restrained  her  feelings.  The  Prince  was 
the  only  one  present  who  was  master  of  himself. 
There  was  an  exchange  of  souvenirs.  Baron  Lambert 
gave  the  Prince  consecrated  medals,  and  received 
from  his  imperial  friend  a  picture  for  his  Prayer- 
Book. 


H.I.H.    THK   LATE    PRINCE    JMPERIAL. 


To  face  p.  ISO. 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     181 

The  Prince  took  farewell  of  his  friends,  one  by  one, 
on  board  the  steamer.  All  were  in  tears,  and  the 
stoical  Prince  cheerily  bade  them  dry  their  eyes.  On 
the  arrival  of  the  party  at  Southampton,  they  had 
been  hospitably  entertained  by  the  town  dignitaries, 
and  the  generals  and  others  toasted  the  Empress  and 
the  Prince.  The  Empress,  who  had  never  ceased 
weeping  from  the  moment  she  entered  the  train, 
watched,  from  a  window  of  the  hotel,  the  ship  steam 
down  Southampton  Water,  and  was  so  overwrought 
that  she  swooned.  As  the  vessel  bearing  him  to  his 
fate  left  the  dock,  the  Prince  Imperial's  gaze  was 
fixed  upon  the  solitary  figure  of  a  priest,  who,  with 
outstretched  arms,  gave  the  ship  and  all  on  board  his 
blessing. 

This  lovable  boy  was  (need  it  be  said  ?)  no  milksop  ; 
he  liked  to,  and  did,  see  life  in  all  its  varied  phases, 
not  excluding  its  "  seamy "  side.  The  once  well- 
known,  but  unfortunate,  detective,  Druscovich,  whom 
I  had  so  often  seen  mingling  with  the  crowd  at 
Chislehurst  on  great  occasions — such,  for  example,  as 
the  Emperor's  lying-in-state  and  funeral — had  been 
one  of  the  Prince's  guides  through  "  slum  "  London. 
The  imperial  youth  was  occasionally,  in  1873,  amongst 
the  audiences  at  the  Canterbury,  the  Oxford,  and  the 
Alhambra,  penetrating  once,  at  least,  to  the  coulisses 
of  the  last-named  "  hall."  He  was,  too,  a  not  un- 
familiar figure  at  the  clubs — the  "  Rag  "  (which  was 
his  preference),  the  Reform,  and  the  Travellers', 
amongst  others. 

On  the  eve  of  his  departure  for  the  Cape,  the 
Prince  wrote  to  Monsignor  Groddard  : 

"  I  hope  you  will  not  be  under  the  impression  that 
1   am  so   preoccupied  with   the   preparations  for  my 


182  KMPRKSS  EIKJENIK 

ilcpartiirc  as  to  Iimnc  I'orgottcii  ui\  ilutics  .ms  a 
(^hristiau.  'ro-niorii'w  I  sliall  conu'  t<>  you  at  7.30 
to  t'oiifi'ss.  and  to  eonmiunicatc  for  tlii'  last  tinic  in 
that  t'lmrcli  at  ("hislclmrst  in  wliirli  I  wish  to  1)C' 
hiirii'd  whi'M  I  (lie. — Nahu.kon." 

Monsicnor  (xoddanl  (as  he  had  now  become)  super- 
vised the  Prince's  religious  education  for  several 
years,  and  I  had  many  talks  with  him  before  and 
after  the  tragedy  in  Zululanil.  The  day  after  we 
heard  of  the  rHnce's  death,  the  amiable  [)relate  said 
tt)  me  : 

"  I  will  recall  the  very  last  serious  conversation  we 
had.  The  Prince  had  come  to  the  Presbytery,  as  he 
sometimes  would  come,  alone,  to  ask  me  to  correct 
some  letter  that  he  had  to  write  in  English,  or  to  help 
him  in  some  little  speech  that  he  had  to  make  in 
public.  In  some  way  or  other  we  talked  of  death, 
and  suddenly  he  broke  in  abruptly  with  the  words  : 
'  Cher  Monsieur  le  Cure,  death  has  no  terrors  for  me  ! 
Up  to  this  time,  with  God's  help,  I  have  done  my 
best,  despite  all  my  faults  and  shortcomings.  What 
has  the  future  in  store  for  me  ?  If  I  live  I  shall  be 
Emperor  of  the  French,  and,  God  helping,  I  shall  do 
my  duty  ;  but  I  do  not  deceive  myself  as  to  what  that 
life  will  be — full  of  labours  and  of  dangers.' 

And  then  came  to  his  eyes  that  strange,  far-off 
look,  full  of  unutterable  tenderness,  which  was  not 
uncommon  with  him — which  is  so  beautiful,  yet 
which  we  dread  so  much  to  see  in  those  we  love. 
The  Prince  never  lost  the  simplicity,  the  childlike 
innocence,  the  truthfulness,  of  his  early  years,  and  it 
was  this  side  of  his  character  that  made  him  so 
lovable  and  so  loved.  ( )n  the  day  his  father  died, 
when  the  Prince  entered  the  house,  it  happened  that 
I  was  the  first  person  whom  he  saw,  and  he  gathered 
from  my  presence  at  that  unusual  hour  that  all  was 
ended.     In  the  evening  he  sent  for  me  ;  we  talked  for 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     183 

hours  together.  I  cannot  repeat  that  sacred  conversa- 
tion. At  one  moment,  in  answer  to  an  entreaty  of 
mine,  he  threw  his  arms  around  me,  and,  with  upraised 
eyes,  declared  that  he  would  never  neglect  his  religious 
duties,  that  he  would  never  be  guilty  of  an  action 
that  would  dis2:race  the  name  he  bore.  '  Je  vous  le 
jure,  devant  Dieu,'  he  said.  His  last  letter  to  me, 
which  you  have  seen,  and  his  death,  show  how 
faithfully  he  kept  his  promise." 

Close  observers  noted  more  than  one  point  of 
similarity  between  the  Prince  and  his  father.  The 
youth  spoke  somewhat  slowly  and  deliberately,  and 
his  voice  was  not  unsuggestive  of  the  Emperor's,  with 
its  slight  cadences.  When  the  Prince  spoke,  he  looked 
you  straight  in  the  face,  as  if  endeavouring  to 
penetrate  your  thoughts.  His  features  recalled  the 
one-time  virile  physiognomy  of  his  father,  and  re- 
flected something  of  the  beauty  of  the  Empress. 
Some  of  the  photographs  taken  in  the  first  few  years 
of  his  residence  at  Chislehurst  did  him  less  than 
justice.  His  face  was  thin,  rather  than  full,  and  in 
the  photographs  it  lost  its  delicacy  and  elegance. 
The  most  faithful  of  these  pictures  were  the  profiles 
and  the  three-quarter  faces.  In  those  days  there  was 
no  colour-photography,  or  his  portraits  would  have 
revealed  the  delicate,  faint  rose-tinted  cheeks.  His 
Woolwich  life,  with  its  abundant  exercise,  made  a 
man  of  him.  In  the  cadet  uniform  he  had  a  degage 
air  which  well  became  him,  and  his  gait  was  not  dis- 
similar to  that  of  a  cavalry  officer.  A  French  officer 
of  the  Lancers  of  the  Guard — a  smart  corps — who 
saw  the  Prince  at  Woolwich,  was  credited  with  saying: 
"  Ah  !  if  M.  Thiers  would  let  me  take  him  for  an 
hour  to  the  camp  at  Roquencourt,  what  a  sensation  he 


184  I'.Ml'UKSS   KUciKNIK 

wouKl  maki'  !"  I'fol)al)lv  the  same  thought  was  at 
tinu'S  u|)|)i'nn<>st  in  M.  TliiiTs's  niiiul. 

"  Siiu'c  1S70."  said  tlic  l*rinco  one  day,  with  no 
little  exultation  in  liis  tone,  "my  father  has  always 
spoken  to  nie  as  it'  I  were  alreadv  a  man  I"  The  hoy 
had  ideas  loni::  hefore  tlie  KnijUTor's  deatli,  although, 
perliaps,  no  delinitive  opinions  ;  hut  tliese  arrived  very 
(|uiekly,  as  all  reeognized  at  the  coming-of-age  fete. 
TIk'  Frencli  workmen  that  day  saluted  him  witli  a 
frenzied  shout  of  "  Vive  I'Empereur  !"  The  Prince 
rejdied  simply,  "  Vive  la  France  !"  "  Those,"  said  a 
Frenchman,  "  were  his  first  words  to  the  ouvrlers  who 
had  greeted  him.  I  will  answer  for  it  that  they  will 
he  his  last  words."  But  the  actual  words  which  left 
iiis  lips  hefore  death  sealed  them  for  ever  on  tiiat 
.June  morning  none  has  told,  or  ever  will  tell  us. 
Some  of  us  like  to  think  they  were  "  Ma  mere  !" 

Those  who  knew  him  hest  always  spoke  of  him 
to  me  as  an  ahsolutely  pure-minded  boy  and  man. 
Monsignor  Goddard  told  me,  on  the  day  the  dire 
news  from  the  Cape  reached  Chislehurst,  that  at  a 
great  dinner-party  a  guest  had  tlie  incredil)ly  had 
taste  to  say :  "  I  do  not  helieve  any  man  lives  a 
perfectly  virtuous  life."  A  friend  of  the  Prince 
exclaimed  indignantly,  in  French,  that  the  opinion 
expressed  was  "  that  of  an  animal,"  and  the  Prince 
himself,  unable  to  restrain  his  feelings,  astonished 
everybody  by  his  emphatic  "  Bravo  !  I  quite  agree 
with  you  !" 

M.  rlules  Amigues,  who  had  been  the  guest  of  the 
Emperor  and  Empress  in  1872,  was  one  of  the 
numerous  visitors  to  Camden  Place  after  the  death 
of  Napoleon  III.,  and  had  more  than  one  confidential 
conversation    with    the    Prince.      "  One    day,"    says 


MEMOEIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     185 

M.  Amigues,  "  I  told  him  that,  to  dispel  the  calumnies 
daily  printed  about  him,  there  was  a  better  means 
than  that  of  replying  in  the  newspapers." 

"  What  means  ?"  he  inquired. 

"  Go  and  show  yourself  in  France,"  I  said,  "  if  only 
for  a  few  days." 

"  Yes,"  he  answered,  with  animation  ;  "  I  should 
enjoy  seeing  France  again,  but,  alas  !  I  cannot." 

"  Why  not  ?"  I  asked.  "  There  is  no  proscription 
against  you." 

"I  know  that,"  he  said,  smiling;  "but  I  am  the 
son  of  the  Emperor,  and  I  can  only  go  to  France  to 
reign." 

"  Be  it  so  !  I  do  not  ask  your  Imperial  Highness 
to  return  to  France,  but  only  to  come  to  Paris  for  a 
few  days," 

"  But  why  ?  I  don't  want  to  torment  that  poor 
Government  for  nothing  !  There  must  be  some 
sufficient  occasion." 

"  Well,  but  your  drawing  lots  for  service  in  the 
army  is  precisely  that  occasion." 

The  Prince  reflected  a  moment,  and  said  :  "  1  don't 
think  I  should  have  patience  for  that." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Monseigneur  ?" 

"  You  see,  my  dear  Amigues,  the  Emperor,  my 
father,  was  wont  to  say,  '  This  people  is  good '  ;  and 
I  think  with  him,  though  possibly  he  was  better  than 
his  people.  But  you  will  admit  that  there  are  many 
roughs  and  scamps  in  all  crowds." 

"  No  doubt,  Monseigneur  ;  and  I  remember  seeing 
a  good  lot  on  the  4th  of  September." 

"  Well,  there  might  be  a  crowd  to  see  me  pass." 

"  Certainly,  Monseigneur,  and  we  should  try  to 
assemble  as  large  a  one  as  possible." 

"  Yes ;  but  if  in  this  crowd  someone  should  in- 
sult me  ?" 

"  What,  then,  Monseigneur  ?" 

"  Why,   then,    I   should    probably   smash   his   face. 


186  i:Miin:ss  r:iTr,i5:N[K 

and  slu>ul(l  afti'fwartU  he  sorrx  I'oi'  tlic  poor  dcx  il  as 
wi'll  as  for  Mivst'ir." 

"  Faitli,  MonsiMiiiK'ur,  1  sliould  not  Ix-  sorry  at  all. 
It  rlic  Kni|H'n)r,  vour  tatlicr,  out  ol  his  excessive 
uoodiu'ss  and  urcatiu'ss  of  soul,  iiad  not  too  nuudi 
disilaiiu'd  tlu'  ri'cH'ut  *  injuries,'  your  Imperial  llii;li- 
ness  and  1  would  not  be  at  this  moment  strcdling 
under  the  Chislehurst  trees." 

The  Trinee  reileeted  a  moment,  and  then  said  in  a 
M-rv  solenni  tone  :  "  No,  I  am  not  yet  in  a  sufHciently 
calm  tem])er.  We  will  talk  of  this  another  time,  when 
I  mav  he  more  like  my  father,  and  more  disposed  to 
pardon  than  1  am  at  present.  Moreover,  it  is  not 
enough  that  France  sliould  see  what  I  look  like.  S/ie 
mt/st'  kno/r  iclial  I  am  do.  I  will  not  go  back  to 
France  until  I  have  done  something  to  get  myself 
talked  about." 

May  we  not  find  in  this  declaration  the  innt  rle 
renigme — the  real,  actual,  and  only  reason  for  his 
inflexible  resolve  to  see  service  at  the  Cape  ?  I  have 
seen  it  asserted  in  English  works  that  he  was  egged 
on  bv  his  partisans  to  go  to  Zululand.  A  sheer  ab- 
surdity this.     He  wanted  no  "  egging  on." 

In  a  conversation  on  family  matters,  the  Prince 
Im})erial   once   remarked,   says   M.  Eugene   Loudon : 

"  In  France  things  are  all  topsy-turvy.  Children  no 
longer  respect  their  parents,  and  when  that  is  so,  no 
greater  respect  is  paid  to  the  law.  If  one  could  put 
things  in  their  right  place — if  parents  were  respected 
by  their  children — the  law  would,  in  its  turn,  be 
respected.  I  intend  to  set  an  example,  and  always  to 
love  and  resj)ect  my  mother."  Comte  d'Herisson's 
})ithv  comment  upon  this  utterance  is:  "If  this  was 
the  Prince  Imperial's  thought,  would  he  ever,  of  his 
own  motion,  have  given  the  lie  to  his  words  and  senti- 
ments bv  causing  a  political  competition  between  a 
father  [Prince  Jerome]  and  his  son  [Prince  Victor]  ?" 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     187 

The  Prince  was  greatly  preoccupied  with  the 
question  of  public  education  in  France,  and  was 
always  ready  to  discuss  it,  in  all  its  phases,  with  the 
French  friends  who  visited  the  Empress  at  Camden 
Place  during  the  three  years  prior  to  his  departure 
from  England  for  the  Cape.  He  expressed  his  strong 
desire,  should  he  be  called  back  to  Paris  by  the  apj)el 
au  pe^iple  ("which,"  he  naively  remarked  to  M.  Lou- 
don and  others,  "  is  not  probable  "),  to  assist  the  arts 
and  letters  by  every  means  in  his  power.  He  did  not 
hesitate  to  express  the  opinion  that  writers  had  been 
"  much  neglected  under  the  Empire."  Someone  asked 
him,  in  the  course  of  one  of  these  pleasantly  interest- 
ing talks,  if  he  would  give  great  artists  and  great 
poets  seats  in  the  Senate.  "  No,"  he  replied  ;  "  they 
were  not  made  for  that."  Being  reminded  that  Napo- 
leon I.  had  declared  :  "  If  Corneille  had  lived  in  my 
days  I  would  have  made  him  a  Prince,"  the  Prince 
Imperial  observed :  "  I,  too,  would  make  them 
Princes  ;  I  would  give  them  all  kinds  of  honours,  but 
not  a  place  in  the  councils  of  Grovernment."  Discuss- 
ing the  absurdly  small  pensions  given  to  authors,  the 
Prince  said  :  "  It  will  not  be  a  Minister  who  will  give 
pensions  if  I  ever  reign — ce  sera  moi.  Ministers  are 
influenced  by  departments  and  by  personal  considera- 
tions. I  shall  give  honours  direct.  I  shall  know 
better  how  to  choose  them  ;  and  they  will  thank  me 
for  it." 

The  Prince,  if  we  are  to  credit  M.  de  Bre,  had  "  an 
innocent  mania  for  dressing  up  in  women's  clothes," 
and  it  is  hinted  that  he  sometimes  l)orrowed  feminine 
raiment  from  Mme.  Lebreton-Bourbaki.  "  The  Prince 
was  very  demonstrative  towards  that  lady,  and  this 
made  the  Empress  nervous.      Her  Majesty  was  never 


188  KMPRKSS  FATCRNIK 

able  to  (lissiiniilntc  Iut  t'oc'liiit;s.  Like  liis  father, 
the  Prinee  was  ileli^ht fully  stuhlxn-ii.  WCll-iiifornied 
people  assiTti'd  that  he  visited  France  in  1S7S"  (when 
he  was  twenty-two).  Tlu'  I'riiicc  struck  M.  de  Hr/'  as 
beinc:  '^  oi'  the  type  of  Malzac's  De  Marsay.  English 
people  were  surprised  at  seeinic  liini  so  attentive  to 
his  niotiier,  who  was  always  very  busy.  WIkmi  the 
Prince  travelled  to  London  or  elsewhere  bv  railway, 
he  almost  invariably  took  the  train  at  Hickley,  in 
order  to  be  freer  in  his  movements.  Baron  de  Bour- 
goino;  was  nearly  always  with  him." 

It  was  "at  a  review  at  Ilamj)t()n  Court"  (?  Windsor) 
that  Prince  Louis  Napoleon  solidified  his  friendly 
relations  with  (^)ueen  Victoria  and  Princess  Beatrice. 
The  Prince  was  on  horseback  in  the  crowd,  when  he 
was  recognized  by  someone,  who  informed  the  Queen 
of  his  presence.  Her  ALajesty  immediately  sent  for 
him  and  gave  him  a  most  gracious  reception.  The 
Prince  stood  talking  for  a  long  while  by  the  side  of 
the  royal  carriage.  The  Queen  and  Princess  were 
delighted  with  his  appearance  and  bearing  and  his 
natural  esprU. 

The  tragedy  in  Zululand  provoked  in  France  an 
explosion  of  wrath  against  "  perHdious  Albion,"  and 
in  Paris  and  other  towns  it  was  declared  that  the 
Prince  had  been  assassinated,  or  killed  by  treachery. 
"  The  English  have  always  done  us  harm.  They 
killed  the  uncle  ;  they  have  caused  our  unfortunate 
and  heroic  Prince  to  lose  his  life !"  A  few  weeks 
before  the  Prince's  death,  ridmann,  the  Prince's 
valet,  writing  from  the  Cape  to  his  friends  at  Chisle- 
hurst,  made  this  curious  statement  :  "  At  the  Cape 
and  at  Natal  there  are  lots  of  Communards.  For  the 
Prince's  sake  I  fear  them  more  than  the  Zulus."     The 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     189 

Prince  himself  wrote  to  his  mother  :  "  We  have  some 
French  people  in  the  camp.  They  are  not  the  elite  of 
society,  but  I  am  pleased  to  see  them,  if  only  because 
they  make  me  speak  French." 

Immediately  after  the  Prince  Imperial's  death,  I 
visited  Monsignor  Goddard  to  inquire  how  the  bereaved 
mother  was  bearing  up  under  her  calamity.  "  I  was 
at  'Camden'  this  morning,"  he  said,  "  and  I  found  the 
Empress  comparatively  calm  and  collected  :  a  great 
change  for  the  better  since  yesterday,  which,  being 
the  first  of  the  month  (July),  served  to  remind  her  of 
the  fatal  1st  of  June,  and  brought  on  hysterical 
paroxysms,  which  were  distressing  to  witness  and 
almost  alarming.  She  took  part  in  the  Mass  this 
morning,  and  has  been  able  to  partake  of  nourishment, 
the  great  desideratum.  The  critical  moment  will  be 
when  she  first  beholds  the  corpse  ;  but  she  is  pre- 
paring herself  for  that  fearful  ordeal,  and  I  am  hope- 
ful she  will  be  able  to  pass  through  it." 

I  asked  if  it  was  true,  as  I  had  read  in  the  papers, 
that  much  had  been  concealed  from  Her  Majesty. 
"She  knows  everything,"  was  the  reply,  "except 
the  English  cowardice.  That  has  been  kept  from 
her." 

The  Empress,  I  learnt  from  my  reverend  friend, 
passed  the  days  before  the  funeral  in  the  closest 
retirement,  solacing  herself  by  reading  the  works  of 
the  great  masters  of  the  spiritual  life — Massillon, 
Bossuet,  Lacordaire.  Her  letters  were  read  to  her  by 
the  Duche  se  de  Mouchy,  the  Vicomtesse  Aguado,  or 
Mme.  Lebreton-Bourbaki.  The  two  last  letters  which 
she  received  from  her  son  she  had  not  the  courage  to 
open  for  a  long  time,  nor  had  she  the  physical  strength 
for  some  days  to  put  pen  to  paper.     She  saw  scarcely 


i!>o  KMi'i;i:ss  lU'cKNii-: 

aiivoiu'   i'Xt'0]>l    M.    rirtii.    the    hue    tic    IImssmiio,    mikI 
Mt>nsii:;nor  (it)tl(lar(l. 

riie  most  liaiTowiiiu,  and  IDr  tin.'  most  part  purely 
imaiLrinativc,  accounts  of  "  scenes  jit  Cliisleliurst  " 
apjicarcd  in  the  1"  rcncli  journals,  and  were  reproduced 
1>\  stuue  (d'  the  London  papers.  Thus,  there  was 
j)ul)lished  in  the  (idi/lois  (then  u  lionsipartist,  now  ;i 
H()yalist,  ori::an)  a  circumstantial  story  of  the  recep- 
tion 1)\  the  Kmpress  of  a  nund)er  of  cadets  who  had, 
it  was  said,  gone  from  Woolwich  to  C'hisleliurst  to 
otler  their  cctndolences.  "At  the  sight  of  the  uniform 
which  her  son  hud  worn,"  it  was  reported,  ''  the 
Kmpress  hurst  into  tears,  and,  rushing  forward, 
embraced  each  of  tlie  young  men  in  turn.  Then  she 
made  a  little  speech,  in  which  she  exhorted  them  to 
work  as  lier  son  had  done  ;"  and  so  on.  All  fiction — 
J  know  it  as  a  fact — from  beginning  to  end.  One  of 
many  touching  incidents  which  really  happened  was 
this  :  Upon  hearing  of  the  Prince's  death,  three  of  his 
former  companions  —  MM.  Conneau  (the  doctor's 
son),  Espinasse,  and  Bizot,  all  young  oHicers — hastened 
over  to  Chislelmrst.  They  were  immediately  received 
by  the  Empress,  who  burst  into  tears  and  embraced 
them.     Such  is  la  verite  vraie. 

The  (^ueen  (I  had  it  on  indisputable  authority  at 
the  time)  was  anxious  to  mark  her  sense  of  the  heroic 
manner  in  which  the  Prince  Imperial  met  his  death  in 
a  way  which  would  have  been  presumably  welcome  to 
the  afflicted  Empress.  The  Queen's  strongly  expressed 
wish  was  to  confer  upon  the  dead  young  hero  some 
such  distinction  as  the  Order  of  the  Bath.  Had  Her 
Majesty's  kindly  intention  been  fulfilled,  the  Queen 
would  have  laid  the  ribbon  on  his  (coffin  with  her  own 
hands.     The   Government,  however,  did  not  approve 


MEMOEIES  OF  THE  PKINCE  IMPERIAL     191 

of  the  idea,  fearing  that  it  miglit  be  iinpalatal^le  to 
Gambetta  and  many  others,  and  Her  Majesty  there- 
fore abandoned  the  project. 

Early  in  August,  1879, 1  received  from  Chislehurst, 
with  a  request  to  publish  it,  this  statement,  which  was 
promptly  reproduced  by  the  English  and  the  French 
press  : 

"  Certain  London  papers,  and  many  provincial  ones, 
have  given  currency  to  a  variety  of  stories  concerning 
the  late  Prince  Imperial.  One  journal  has  stated  that 
the  Prince  was  privately  married  to  a  young  lady  of 
the  English  aristocracy,  and  left  behind  a  male  heir  of 
the  Plouse  of  Bonaparte.  It  was  further  said  that  the 
same  lady  had  forced  herself  into  the  presence  of  the 
Empress  at  Camden  Place,  and  had  a  very  stormy 
interview  with  Her  Majesty.  We  are  authorized  to 
say  that  there  is  not  one  word  of  truth  in  the  story, 
and  we  only  contradict  it  in  consequence  of  the  per- 
sistence with  which  these  infamous  falsehoods  are 
printed.  A  London  weekly  paper  has  impudently 
associated  the  name  of  a  young  lady  living  at  Chisle- 
hurst with  that  of  the  Prince.  We  are  also  authorized 
to  say  that  this  statement  is  a  gross  fabrication. 
Equally  untrue  are  the  paragraphs  published  by  a 
number  of  papers  associating  the  name  of  the  Prince 
with  that  of  a  Princess  [Beatrice]  of  our  Royal 
House." 

Amongst  the  ladies  who,  in  1879,  solaced  the 
Empress  was  the  Vicomtesse  Aguado  (Marchioness 
de  Las  Marismas),  who,  with  her  husband,  had  been 
amongst  the  intimates  of  the  Sovereigns  for  many 
years  before  the  war.  The  Vicomte  Ondsime  Aguado 
was  the  brother  of  her  first  husband.  Her  history 
was  a  sad  one,  for  death  had  robbed  her  of  both  her 
husbands,   of   her   two    sons,   and   of   her   daughter, 


('arim'ii,  Ouclu'sst' di-  Moiitniori'm-v.  'I'lic  \'icouil('sso 
wrote  from  (Miisli'liurst  to  a  riiciul  : 

"  Tlu'  iMupross  lias  \)vvn  sitting  lor  tln'cc  lioiirs  in 
lur  anncliair  without  spcnkinu;  or  niovine;,  her  hands 
in  mine.  I  oiil\  knew  .slio  was  living  by  the  slight 
jtrcssurc  of  lier  j)oor,  thin  iianils  when  my  weeping 
heeaine  too  violent  and  slie  wished  to  stop  my  tears." 

The  strong  religious  bias  which  eharacterized  the 
I'rinee  is  abundantly  shown  by  this  beautiful  prayer, 
his  own  composition,  used  by  him  night  and  morning, 
and  found  in  his  Prayer-Book  after  his  death  : 

''  Mon  Dieu,  je  vous  donne  men  canir,  mais  vous, 
donnez-moi  la  foi.  Sans  foi,  il  n'est  ])oint  d'ardentes 
})ri(  res,  et  prier  est  un  besoin  de  mon  ame.  Je  vous 
prie,  non  pour  que  vous  ^cartiez  les  obstacles  qui 
sV'levent  sur  ma  route,  mais  pour  (|ue  vous  me  per- 
mettiez  de  les  franehir.  Je  vous  l)ric,  non  i)()ur  que 
vous  d^sarmiez  mes  ennemis,  mais  pour  que  vous 
m'aidiez  a  me  vainere  moi-meme  !  Et  daignez,  O 
Dieu,  exaucer  mes  prieres  ;  conservez  a  mon  affection 
les  gens  qui  me  sent  chers.  Accordez-leur  des  jours 
heureux.  Si  vous  ne  voulez  repandre  sur  cette  terre 
qu'une  certaine  somme  de  joies,  prenez,  O  Dieu,  la 
part  qui  me  revient,  repartissez-la  parmi  les  plus 
dignes,  et  que  les  plus  dignes  soient  mes  amis.  Si 
vous  voulez  faire  aux  hommes  les  represailles,  frappez- 
moi.  Le  malheur  est  converti  en  joie  par  la  douce 
pensee  que  ceux  que  Ton  aime  sont  heureux.  Le 
bonheur  est  empoisonne  par  cette  pensee  amere  :  '  Je  me 
rejouis,  et  ceux  que  je  cheris  mille  fois  plus  que  moi 
sont  en  train  de  souffrir.'  Pour  moi,  O  Dieu,  plus  de 
bonheur.  Je  le  fuis  ;  enlevez-le  de  ma  route.  La 
joie  je  ne  la  puis  trouver  que  dans  I'oubli  du  passe. 
Si  j'oublie  ceux  qui  ne  sont  plus,  on  m'oubliera  h  mon 
tour  ;  et  quelle  triste  pensee  que  celle  qui  vous  fait 
dire  :  '  le  temps  efface  tout.'  La  seule  satisfaction  que 
je  recherche,  c'est  celle  qui  dure  toujours,  celle  que 


HEAD    OF   THK    IIOUSK   OF   BOXAI'AKTE. 


Tofiire  ,,.  \\)-> 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     193 

donne  une  conscience  tranqiiille.  O  mon  Dieu, 
montrez-moi  toiijours  ou  se  trouve  mon  devoir ; 
donnez-moi  la  force  de  I'accomplir  en  toute  occasion. 
Arrive  au  terme  de  ma  vie,  je  tournerai  sans  crainte 
mes  regards  vers  le  passe.  Le  souvenir  n'en  sera  pas 
pour  moi  un  long  remords.  x\lors  je  serai  lieureux. 
Faites,  O  mon  Dieu,  penetrer  plus  avant  dans  mon 
coeur  la  conviction  que  ceux  que  j'aime  et  qui  sont 
morts  sont  les  temoins  de  toutes  mes  actions.  Ma 
vie  sera  digne  d'etre  vue  par  eux,  et  mes  pensees  les 
plus  intimes  ne  me  feront  jamais  rougir." 

The  Prince  was,  as  we  have  seen,  hailed  by  the 
majority  of  Bonapartists  as  "  Napoleon  IV."  At  the 
death  of  Prince  Jerome  Napoleon,  however,  in  1891, 
a  discussion  arose  on  the  weighty  point  of  the  par- 
ticular chiffre  which  Prince  Jerome's  eldest  son, 
Victor,  the  Bonapartist  Pretender  of  to-day,  might 
properly  add  to  the  name  of  Napoleon  in  the  event  of 
a  Bonapartist  restoration.  "  If  Prince  Victor  is  ever 
called  to  reign  over  France,  will  he  style  himself 
Napoleon  V.  or  Napoleon  VI.  ?"  The  question  was 
thrashed  out  in  1891,  the  conclusion  arrived  at  being 
that,  as  neither  the  Prince  Imperial  nor  Prince 
Jerome  was  ever  proclaimed  Emperor  in  succession 
to  Napoleon  III.,  Prince  Victor  would  rightly,  should 
he  ever  ascend  the  throne,  be  styled  "  Napoleon  the 
Fourth." 

Prince  Jerome,  when  laying  down  the  law  upon  the 
subject  in  his  domineering  manner,  declared  that  the 
Due  de  Reichstadt,  son  of  Napoleon  I.,  was  "  le  bene- 
ficiaire  d'une  abdication,"  and  that  the  Prince  Imperial 
had  never  been  proclaimed,  and  consequently  "  did  not 
count."  Such,  however,  was  not  the  opinion  of  the 
late  Prince  Metternich  (husband  of  the  ever-famous 
and  still-living  Princess  Pauline),  who  has  much  that 

13 


194  EMPliKSS  EUORXIE 

is  lM>tli  itittM*»'stinu"  mikI  siitj'i^iostivo  to  s;in'  u]H)n  tlio 
ffreat  chiifrc  qiu'stioii  in  liis  "  Memoirs."  Tlic  Mettcr- 
nichian  ari::iinu*nt,  wliioli  must  hv  reccivod  with  all  the 
respect  due  to  the  (li])h)matist  who  enunciated  it,  was 
that  the  figure  111.,  adoj^tt'd  by  tlie  consort  of  the 
Empress  Eusfenic,  had  no  rtiisft/t  <frfrc^  inasmuch  as 
Louis  Napoh^on,  wlien  tlie  Senate  took  him  the 
ini]ierial  crown,  declared  that  he  had  no  "  obsolete 
dynastic  pretensions"  whatsoever,  and  that  his  reign 
dill  not  date  from  the  far-distant  year  1815,  but  only 
from  the  moment  when  the  wish  of  the  nation  was 
made  known  to  him.  "  When,"  says  M.  Philippe  de 
(irandlieu,  "Louis  XVIIL  dated  his  reign  from  1796, 
he  invoked  the  hereditary  rights  of  his  race  ;  whereas 
Ivouis  Napoleon,  in  dating  his  reign  from  1852,  invoked 
merely  the  manifestation  of  universal  suffrage." 

Prince  Metternich  is  very  explicit  on  the  point  at 
issue,  and  his  ipsissima  verba  may  well  he  quoted  in 
direct  opposition  to  the  opinion  of  Prince  Jerome 
Napoleon,  propounded  at  a  dinner-party  in  the  Rue  de 
Phalshourg.  "  The  sovereign  people,"  remarks  Prince 
Metternich,  "called  Louis  Napoleon,  in  184.S,  to  be 
President  of  the  Republic,  thus  proving  that  it  con- 
sidered the  plebiscite  of  1804  as  not  having  any  more 
effect.  Had  it  been  otherwise,  it  would  have  sufficed 
for  the  people  to  have  required  Louis  Napoleon  to 
have  retaken  his  right  of  dynastic  succession.  But 
Louis  Napoleon,  by  his  acceptance  of  the  Presidency 
of  the  Republic,  admitted  that  that  right  no  longer 
existed."  As  a  corollary,  then,  from  the  point  of 
view  of  universal  suffrage,  "  which  had  restored  the 
former  Empire,  but  which,  in  1852,  had  founded  upon 
it  a  new  one,"  the  "  Third  "  Napoleon  had  absolutely 
no  ju.stification  for  the  adoption    of    his  title.     Nor 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PKINCE  IMPERIAL     195 

would  the  Empress  Eugenie's  consort  have  been  in  a 
better  position  in  reference  to  this  particular  matter 
from  the  dynastic  and  hereditary  standpoint,  for  had 
he  relied  upon  that,  the  late  Emperor  would  have  been, 
not  the  "  Third,"  but  the  "  Fifth,"  Napoleon. 

Prince  Metternich  gives  chapter  and  verse  for  his 
assertion,  and  maintains  that,  if  the  order  of  regular 
succession  be  followed,  the  results  must  be  as  here 
stated  : 

Napoleon  the  First  having  abdicated  in  favour  of 
his  son  ; 

Napoleon  the  Second  dying  without  direct  descen- 
dants ; 

Napoleon  the  Third  (Joseph),  former  King  of  Spain, 
similarly  dying  ; 

Napoleon  the  Fourth  (Louis)  having  been  King  of 
Holland  ;  and 

Napoleon  the  Fifth  (i.e.,  Napoleon  HI.)  having  been 
the  former  President  of  the  Republic, 

The  Prince  Imperial  (killed  in  Zululand)  would 
necessarily  have  been  Napoleon  VL,  Prince  Jerome 
Napoleon  would  have  been  Napoleon  VII.,  and 
Jerome's  eldest  son,  Victor  (should  he  arrive  at  the 
throne),  would  be  Napoleon  VIII. 

So  much,  then,  for  the  Napoleonic  c/iiffre^  which 
various  members  of  the  Party  gravely  and  earnestly 
discussed  with  the  Empress  Eugenie  at  San  Remo  in 
1891.  It  remains  to  add  that,  shortly  after  the 
Emperor's  death,  his  son  caused  it  to  be  made  known 
that  he  desired  to  l)e  addressed,  not  as  Napoleon  IV., 
but  as  Prince  Louis  Napoleon. 

A  few  months  before  his  death  the  Prince  Imperial, 
accompanied  by  Prince  Murat  and  M.  Pietri,  visited 
the  late  King  Oscar  of  Sweden,  stayed  for  a  few  days 

13—2 


with  tlif  l.ifo  Ixinuaiid  'Jiu'cn  of  Denmark  at  Copcn- 
liajj^iMi.  ami  nmdi'  a  l)ri('f  tour  tliroui;li  Norway, 
i«»iini('vinii  thence  to  Arenenborjj:,  wliere  the  Knipross 
was  then  passiiii;  a  sliort  time. 

An  amusing  story  of  the  Swedish  visit  shouhl  notjiass 
unrecorded. 

''  Wc  arrived  at  Christiania  "  (said  an  eyewitness  of 
the  incident*)  "in  Auoust,  1.S7S,  intendin*;  to  take 
the  usual  midday  train  for  Copenhaii;en.  The  tow'n 
was  decorated  with  Hags,  and  we  found  that  the 
royal  yacht  was  expected,  the  Prince  Imperial  on 
hoard.  He  had  been  on  a  visit  to  the  King  [the  late 
Sovereign]  and  Queen  of  Sweden  at  a  little  country 
place  called  Orkerud  (distant  some  three  hours  by 
steamer),  and  w\as  now  returning  to  England,  via 
Copenhagen,  intending  to  travel  by  this  same  midday 
train. 

The  hour  for  departure  came,  but  no  Prince 
Imperial  I  We  waited,  and  still  waited,  but  the 
}acht  was  unaccountably  detained.  At  last,  how^ever, 
the  booming  cannon  announced  the  arrival  of  the 
royal  ])ai*ty.  Tw^o  or  three  carriages  rolled  rapidly 
up  to  the  station,  and  the  King  got  out,  and  came  on 
to  the  platform,  holding  the  Imperial  Prince  by  the 
hand.  The  latter,  very  short  and  slight  (he  was 
between  twenty -two  and  twenty- three  at  the  time), 
looked  quite  a  l)oy  l)y  the  side  of  the  King,  who  was, 
indeed,  the  beau-ideal  of  a  monarch,  tall  and  stately 
as  one  of  his  own  pines.  The  reason  of  the  un- 
accountable aelay  we  heard  afterwards  from  one  of 
the  party  on  board.  It  was  a  lovely,  hot  summer 
dav.  The  Prince  was  in  tearing  spirits,  shouting, 
singing,  playing  pranks  like  a  mad  thin^  all  the  time. 

At  last  he  suddenly  came  up  to  the  King,  and  said 
he  '  would,  and  mu^t,  have  a  bathe  !'  '  Impossible,' 
said  the  King  ;  'the  train  will  be  waiting  for  us,  you 
know.'      No    matter  !      He   would,    and    must,    and 

■■'■  Pall  Mall  Gazette. 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     197 

forthwith  began  to  take  off  his  clothes.  The  King 
then  mildly  suggested  that  he  should  at  least  perform 
that  operation  below.  But  not  a  bit  !  and  in  another 
moment  his  Imperial  Highness  was  stripped  and 
careering  about  the  deck  in  a  state  of  nature  !  See- 
ing him  so  determined,  the  order  was  given  to  stop 
the  vessel,  and  almost  before  this  could  be  done  the 
Prince  had  plunged  over  the  side.  Upon  tliis  the 
Prince  Royal  [now  King]  of  Sweden,  and  some  of  the 
younger  gentlemen,  also  undressed,  and  there  were 
soon  half  a  dozen  of  them  in  the  water  swimming 
round  the  yacht,  the  Prince  Imperial  jumping  on 
their  backs  and  riding  them  like  so  many  dolphins. 
Nor  was  it  until  they  liaL.  had  some  half  an  hour  of 
this  sport  that  the  vessel  was  allowed  to  proceed. 

The  King  was  much  struck  by  the  intelligence  of 
his  young  guest,  and  laughingly  complained  to  some 
of  the  gentlemen  present  about  his  '  terrible  thirst 
for  information.'  '  His  questions,'  said  die  King, 
'  are  most  alarming.  Why,  he  asked  me  just  now 
how  long  it  took  a  vessel  to  get  up  steam.  I  hadn't 
an  idea — thought  it  might  probably  be  ten  minutes — 
I  find  it  does  actually  take  five  quarters  of  an  hour. 
But  it  is  very  improving,  and  one  would  certainly 
have  to  rub  up  one's  knowledge  if  one  were  to  be 
long  in  his  society  !' 

The  Prince,  too,  seemed  to  have  made  himself 
popular  in  Sweden,  for  all  through  the  day  and  night 
crowds  were  waiting  to  see  him,  and  from  midnight 
to  earliest  dawn  we  were  awakened  at  every  little 
wayside  station  by  their  cries  of  '  Hoch  !  hoch  !  hoch  !' 
Various  amusing  little  scenes  occurred  on  the  way. 
At  one  station,  the  moment  the  train  drew  up,  a 
stern-looking  lady  planted  herself  with  two  little  girls 
in  front  of  the  crowd,  and,  receiving  from  their  hands 
two  knobby  and  most  repellent-looking  bouquets, 
hurled  them  violently  one  after  the  other  through  the 
window  of  the  royal  carriage.  Then,  settling  her 
glasses  firmly  on  her  nose,  she  stood  awaiting  the 
result.     At  first  we  had  thought  it  ill-natured  that 


198  KMl'KKSS   FrcRXlK 

the  ifieon  l>limls  shouKl  liavo  been  so  closely  (Iniwn, 
l)iit  after  this  exj)eriem'e  we  were  foreetl  to  admit  that 
there  niii^lit  he  some  exeiise.  At  aiiotlier  station, 
eontriviuii  t«»  elude  rec(>L:;iiiti()n,  the  Prince  ii;ot  out 
tor  refrcsluneiit.  :iiid  we  saw  him  speediiiu'  ah)nLC  the 
jilatl'orm.  ;i  litth'  ihistv  liuiire  in  iirey,  dusty  even  to 
his  evebn>ws.  I  nhukilv  for  liim,  he  encountered  on 
his  wav  two  hidit-s,  whose  curtsies  betrayed  his 
identity.  In  a  moment  the  crowd  was  at  his  heels. 
In  and  out  of  the  refreshment-room,  the  waitini:;- 
room,  everywhere,  thev  folh)wed  him,  till  he  was  fain 
once  more  to  take  refuue  behind  tiie  friendly  shelter 
of  his  a:reen  blinds.  Later  on  we  beheld  him  leaning 
out  of  the  window  of  a  second-class  carriage  at  the 
other  end  of  the  train,  and  watching  with  great 
amusement  the  crowds  that  had  gathered  in  front  of 
the  royal  coach,  and  were  engaged  in  staring  at  the 
ei|uerrv  whom  he  had  put  there  to  fill  his  place. 
That  was  the  last  time  we  ever  saw  the  Prince 
Imperial  alive." 

A  dish  of  which  Napoleon  III.  was  particularly 
fond  was  cepes  a  la  jjroven('ale,  which  is  a  specialty 
at  some  of  the  better-class  Paris  restaurants,  and  can 
probably  be  obtained  at  the  Carlton,  the  Ritz,  and  the 
Savov.  Princesse  Mathilde  was  one  evening  enter- 
tainiiig  the  Emperor,  the  Empress  Eugenie,  and  the 
Prince  Im])erial  at  dinner  at  her  chateau  at  St.  Gratien, 
near  Montmorency,  and  cepes  a  la  provencale  figured 
on  the  menu.  The  Emperor  and  Empress  partook 
rather  largely  of  the  dish,  which  was  strongly  perfumed 
with  garlic,  and  then  the  servant  offered  it  to  the 
Prince,  who  regarded  it  with  longing  eyes,  and  had 
evidently  made  up  his  mind  to  eat  freely  of  it.  The 
watchful  Empress,  however,  said  :  "  Louis,  don't  touch 
the  cepes;  they  are  too  rich  for  little  boys."  The 
Prince    was    resolved    to    make    a    fight   for    it,    and 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     199 

answered,  with  an  imploring  glance  at  Her  Majesty : 
"  But,  mamma,  they  look  so  delicious  !"  "  General," 
said  the  imperial  ladj  to  the  Prince's  governor, 
"  please  tell  him  not  to  touch  that  dish."  As  a  matter 
of  course,  the  general  did  so,  and  the  poor  boy, 
between  smiles  and  tears,  handed  his  plate  of  cepes 
back  to  the  servant,  with  the  remark  :  "  Here,  Eugene, 
take  these  back,  and  keep  them  for  me  until  I  am 
big  enough  to  eat  them."  The  Emperor  exploded 
with  laughter,  but  the  Empress  remained  inflexible, 
and  the  Prince  had  to  content  himself  with  an  apple 
while  his  parents  enjoyed  their  cepes  a  la  provencale. 
M.  James  de  Chambrier,  who  has  gained  an  enviable 
reputation  by  his  works  on  the  court  and  society 
of  the  Second  Empire,  gives,  in  his  volume  (1908), 
"  Entre  I'Apogee  et  le  Declin,"  a  delightful  picture 
of  the  Prince,  the  Emperor,  and  the  Empress.  On 
March  16,  1862,  the  Prince  entered  upon  his  seventh 
year.  Such  a  charming  boy  was  he  whom  we  after- 
wards knew  at  Chislehurst,  for,  alas  !  less  than  ten 
years,  that  (says  this  authority)  it  was  difficult  not  to 
feel  oneself  drawn  towards  him  by  a  sympathy  shared 
even  by  the  enemies  of  his  father  and  the  Napoleonic 
reign.  Although  he  did  not  possess  the  regular 
features  and  the  good  looks  of  his  mother,  he  re- 
sembled her  in  a  very  striking  manner.  His 
physiognomy  showed  his  happy  disposition.  Frank 
and  gay  with  his  little  playmates,  his  comrades  and 
friends  of  later  years  found  in  him,  not  a  Prince,  but 
a  straightforward,  generous  young  man  of  observant 
mind  and  the  utmost  good- humour.  Whilst  still  a 
boy,  he  noticed  everything,  and  narrated  what  he  had 
seen  with  a  precision  which  delighted  liis  father.  The 
Emperor,  more  disposed  than  the  Empress  to  let  the 


200  KMPKKSS  KUOENIK 

rriiu-e  liavi'  his  own  wav,  siniU'tl  a(liniriiit»ly  wIumi  ho 
sjiw  tlu'  hov  Icavi'  his  i;amcs  or  liis  draw  iiii;-  iiialcrials 
to  |H'rforiu  tht'  tasks  rr(|iiirc'(l  of  liiiu,  and  to  suhinit 
to  till'  l\ramiii'al  rxi^cucics  ot"  lii'c  at  tlic    Puilcrics. 

Ill  IStiL'  111-  was  iH)  h)iiu;i'r  the  pi'tit  Prince.  <  )n 
his  sixtli  l)irtliihiv  lie  liad  |>ass(.'d  out  oi'  the  hands  of 
his  ii-ovcnu'ssos  into  those  ol"  a  i^overnor,  M.  Monnicr, 
a  learui'd  professor  of  history  at  the  Lycee  Henri  I\'., 
an  upright  l>ut  timid  man,  witliout  breeding-  and 
without  authority,  ignorant  of  tlie  life  of  society,  and 
not  understandinii:  it.  Not  mucli  ot"  a  scientist,  his 
pencliant  was  for  the  moyen-dge^  and  he  did  not  long 
remain  in  charge  of  his  young  pupil.  Another 
governor  was  soon  found  ;  this  time  it  was  M.  Augustin 
Filon,  whose  acquaintance  1  enjoyed  at  Chislehurst. 
M.  Filon  was  in  1SG2  a  Professor  at  the  Paris 
University,  highly  distinguished,  very  learned  and 
accomplished,  without  any  of  the  drawbacks  of 
pedantry,  understanding  and  sympathizing  with  youth, 
much  attracted  l)y  the  intelligence  and  character  of 
the  Prince,  and  making  him  work  conscientiously 
without  overburdening  him  with  study.  We  can  8ee 
Filon  still,  during  an  evening  fete  at  the  Tuileries, 
leading  his  pupil  under  the  gleaming  candelabra 
through  the  salons  before  the  Emperor  and  Empress 
arrived.  This  view  of  the  great  rooms,  full  of  the 
best-known  members  of  society,  seemed  to  charm 
M.  Filon's  pupil. 

In  the  room  where  the  diplomatists  were  ranged, 
awaiting  the  coming  of  the  Sovereigns,  the  boy  (con- 
tinues M.  Chambrier)  would  stop,  whispering  questions 
amidst  the  deep  silence,  surprised  and  greatly  in- 
terested by  the  variety  of  the  costumes  and  uniforms, 
and  the  brilliancy  of  the  groups,  composed  of  the  repre- 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PHINCE  IMPERIAL     201 

sentatives  o£  all  nations.  M.  Filon  briefly  explained 
who  was  who  amongst  the  foreigners  whom  Ministers 
and  Ambassadors  presented  to  their  Majesties.  Besides 
the  preceptor,  M.  Filon,  there  was  General  Frossard, 
whose  love  of  discipline  led  him  to  punish  the  Prince 
for  the  slightest  mistake  by  keeping  him  from  the 
imperial  dinner-table  !  (It  was  Frossard,  as  some 
may  remember,  who  in  1870  opened  the  ball  by 
attacking  Saarbriicken  on  August  2,  when  the  Prince 
had  his  "  baptism  of  fire,"  and  when,  by  the  way, 
some  correspondent  of  the  Timefi  took  the  troulde  to 
telegraph  that  I  had  been  "  shot  through  the  head " 
during  the  action — a  trifling  lapse  which  Mr.  Delane 
very  kindly  corrected  soon  afterwards).  The  Emperor 
and  Empress  did  not  always  approve  of  General  Fros- 
sard's  strictness,  but  they  wisely  never  interfered. 

On  these  festive  occasions  at  the  Tuileries,  the 
Empress,  before  accompanying  the  Emperor  to  the 
salons  where  their  guests  impatiently  awaited  them, 
would  look  into  the  room  where  the  Prince  and  his 
friend  young  Conneau  (son  of  the  late  Dr.  and  Mme. 
Conneau)  were  at  their  studies,  translating  some 
Latin  author  or  trying  to  solve  a  knotty  arithmetical 
problem.  The  Empress  would  also  pay  these  little 
visits  to  the  schoolroom  when  the  Court  was  at  Com- 
piegne. 

"It  is  evening,  in  the  late  autumn,"  writes  M. 
Filon.  "  The  silence  of  the  schoolroom  is  broken 
only  by  the  loud  ticking  of  the  great  clock.  The 
only  light  is  that  given  by  a  lamp,  with  its  large 
shade.  In  the  forest  the  wind  whistles,  and  alreadv 
it  is  cold.  A  door  opens  ;  there  is  a  frou-frou  of  silk 
and  satin  trailing  over  the  carpet,  a  soft  rattle  of 
jewels — it  is  the  Empress.  '  It  is  you,  maman  ?' 
'  Ah  !    you  are  at   work  ;    don't  disturb  yourselves.' 


202  IvMl'UKSS   KUCJENMK 

Ami  slit'  iMiihrai'cs  iiini  teiulcrlv,  pats  Louis  Conneau's 
head  atiV'ctiDiiati'lv,  and  li,(>('s  to  tlic  window.  Soine- 
tinu's  she  would  Iran  \wv  forehead  anainst  the  ulass, 
hmkinu^  drcaniiK  into  the  dec)),  nivstcrious  nii;lit,  as 
if  it  was  a  relief  to  her  to  i;a/e  into  the  sik'iit  forest 
and  thiidv.  She  said  to  nie  one  eveninii: :  '  What}i])ity 
it  is  that  tile  (ieneral  cannot  de])ri\t'  me  also  (d'  a 
dinniT  !'  1  seem  even  now  to  inhak'  the  perfume 
which  envelopeil  her.  It  was  like  a  vision,  it  lasted 
only  the  minutes,  hut  in  that  hrief  space  all  the 
splendours  of  Conipiegne  were  eti'aced  !" 

The  Prince  was  verv  fond  of  M.  Baclion,  his  riding- 
master.  ''  Well  done  !"  said  l^achon  to  some  hy- 
standers,  on  seeing  the  Prince  vault  into  the  saddle  ; 
"  he  will  be  a  tirst-rate  rider."  The  Empress  could 
not  induce  the  Emperor  to  give  the  Prince  an  educa- 
tion su(di  as  she  desired.  The  boy  had  very  soon 
conquered  his  father's  will  and  his  heart.  The  Em- 
peror delighted  in  his  son's  turbulent  ways  and  his 
playful  little  tricks.  His  Majesty  almost  forgot  the 
cares  of  life  in  watching  the  boy  play  and  in  talking 
about  him.  By  her  unfailing  vigilance  the  Empress 
endeavoured  to  counteract  the  tenderness  which 
people  were  surprised  to  discover  in  a  man  apparently 
so  phlegmatic  as  the  Emperor.  Fully  a[)))reciating 
the  warmth  of  the  reception  given  to  him  at  the 
camp  at  Chalons  in  August,  1863,  the  Emperor  wrote 
to  his  wife  :  "  When  I  see,  outside  ofHcialdom,  a  real 
sympathy,  I  am  deeply  touched,  and  then  I  think  of 
you,  and  wnsh  you  were  here."  And  on  September  9, 
186G,  the  Emperor  wrote  to  his  son,  then  at  Biarritz  : 
"  You  have  given  me  much  j)leasure  by  writing, 
because  it  proves  that  you  think  of  me.  For  my 
part,  I  am  always  thinking  of  you,  and  it  seems  long 
since  I  embraced  you.     St.  Cloud  is  very  dull  since 


H.I.IM.    THK    EMPRESS   EUGExNUi,   THE   EMPEROR    NAl'OLEON    IIF., 
ANT)   THE   PRINCE    IMPERIAL. 

The  iiuiLiuiLHoltlic  Kin]iiviss  aiifl  of  the  I'l  iiice  Iiiiix'nal  :iic  IVoiii  jiliotd.i^raplis 
lircsentcd  to  tlic  late  Mniisii^nior  (;o(l<I,-inl  liy  Her  I  iiii)cri;il  Majcsly, 


'Jo/kci:  II.  20-1 


MEMOEIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     203 

you  left.  I  work  all  day,  and  in  the  evening  we  play 
billiards  or  someone  reads." 

His  father  called  him  the  "  Little  Extinguisher." 
Before  he  had  reached  his  eighth  birthday  the  Prince 
made  it  manifest  that  he  had  a  will  of  his  own,  which 
only  his  mother  could  curb.  The  Emperor  was  as 
wax  in  the  hands  of  this  little  fellow  with  plump 
cheeks,  curly  hair,  caressing  eyes,  and  rather  sleepy 
manner,  clad  in  black  velvet  jacket  and  "  knickers," 
white  waistcoat,  and  scarlet  stockings.  Everybody 
who  passed  through  the  Tuileries  gardens  gazed 
kindly  at  the  little  figure,  solitary  amongst  the  other 
children  at  their  games,  debarred  from  joining  in 
them  from  the  day  when  he  began  to  wear  the  broad 
ribbon  of  the  Legion  of  Honour.  He  could  only  look 
on,  rather  sadly,  at  the  sports  of  those  others,  fortu- 
nate at  not  having  been  born  in  the  purple.  At  home 
he  was  the  veriest  chatterbox,  reduced  to  mutinous 
silence  only  by  the  presence  of  his  mother.  We  may 
be  certain  that  the  Empress  was  out  of  the  way  when, 
his  father  having  refused  to  take  him  to  the  theatre, 
he  revenged  himself  for  the  slight  by  smashing 
4,000  francs'  worth  of  toy  soldiers  ! 

In  1869,  whilst  the  Empress  was  at  Suez,  the 
Emperor  was  so  much  engaged  with  his  son  that  he 
omitted  to  send  her  information  which  she  impatiently 
awaited.  He  mentioned,  in  his  letters  to  her,  the 
manifestations  and  the  incidents  of  October  26,  and 
the  agitation  of  the  public  mind,  but  hastened  to 
leave  these  matters  in  order  to  write  to  her  about 
the  Prince,  whom  he  kept  with  him  in  his  own  study, 
even  whilst  important  subjects  were  under  discussion, 
well  satisfied  that  at  such  times  the  Prince  should 
eave   his   studies   "  to  say  his  word "  !      "I  like  to 


204  KMrUKSS  KrcENiE 

liavt'  his  advit'i',"  >ai(l  tlic  iMUju'ror.  "  Uiil."  r('|)li(.'tl 
tilt'  Kmpivss,  "a  cliild  wlio  has  l)(.'i'n  wt'll  hroiiuht  up 
oui:;ht  to  ht'  siU'iit  whi'ii  i;r(>\vn-u}»  people  are  talking," 
Slie  was  ahvavs  iiideavoiuiiiii-  to  develop  her  sou's 
sense  «d'  diitN   and  t  nithtidncss. 

Always  an  ardent  student,  the  Prnice,  long  after  he 
hail  left  Woohvicdi,  reijuested  M,  l>avou\,  who  was 
about  to  visit  Chislehnr->t,  to  furnish  hiui  with  a  list 
of  hooks,  all  of  a  solid  kind.  "  I  found,  however,"  says 
that  gentleman,  "that  he  already  knew  most  of  the 
works  whi(di  I  had  thouuht  wonld  he  nsefnl  to  him. 
( )n  his  table  were  Arthur  Young's  '  Travels  in  France,' 
the  '  Compte  Rendu  '  of  Necker  (whom  the  Prince 
thought  a  mucli  overrated  man),  and  the  second 
volume  of  Taine's  '  Revolution.*  " 

The  Prince  did  not  seem  quite  at  his  ease  on  the 
first  day  of  his  friend's  visit.  The  second  day  he  was 
much  gayer. 

"  He  walked  slowly  about  the  extensive  grounds, 
stopping  sometimes  ;  always  speaking  without  any 
hesitation  and  in  a  tone  of  authority,  as  if  he  were 
already  on  the  throne.  '  I  shall  do  this,'  '  I  shall  do 
that,'  he  would  say,  without  emphasis,  and  with  a 
calmness  and  strength  which  showed  that  he  was 
quite  master  of  himself,  and  that  he  felt  he  was  made 
to  be  the  master  of  others.  He  had  studied  a  great 
deal  —  the  history  of  France,  the  Revolution,  the 
Empire,  and  the  history  of  the  Church.  He  was  well 
posted  in  all  French  matters,  and  au  courant  of  the 
lives  and  manners  of  most  of  the  politicians.  He  was 
serious- minded,  but  youthfully  so.  He  discussed  the 
gravest  questions  like  a  statesman.  .  .  .  He  liked 
dancing,  and  was  very  pleased  that  he  was  going  to 
a  ball  in  a  day  or  two." 

He  had  a  propensity  for  regarding  all  subjects 
from  a  philosophical  point  of  view,  weighing  carefully 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     205 

what  was  unchangeable  and  true  in  them.  One  of 
his  greatest  eulogists  and  most  devoted  friends  main- 
tains that  ^vhatever  subject  he  wrote  about  in  his 
letters  was  raised  by  his  reflections,  which  displayed 
a  high  intelligence  and  a  marked  nobility  of  spirit. 
His  judgment  upon  most  things  was  very  just,  and 
he  expressed  himself  with  a  precision  which  showed 
clearness  of  mind  and  decision  of  character.  He  was, 
indeed,  a  man  of  forty  when  he  was  really  only 
twenty-three.  The  letters  in  which  he  put  forward 
his  ideas  and  his  projects  for  the  future  of  France 
surprised  his  friends  by  the  maturity  and  vigour 
revealed  by  those  communications. 

In  M.  Gaston  Calmette's  brilliant  "  '  Case '  for  the 
Empress"  will  be  found  a  reference  to,  and  an  emphatic 
denial  of,  the  allegation  that  the  Prince  Imperial  was 
kept  short  of  money.  Her  Majesty's  observations  on 
this  much-disputed  and  rather  unpleasant  subject  were 
provoked,  it  may  be  presumed,  by,  inter  alia,  the 
assertions  of  Comte  d'Herisson,  which,  for  the  reader's 
enlightenment,  may  be  summarized. 

After  finishing  his  course  at  Woolwich,  the  Prince's 
impecuniosity,  according  to  the  above  authority,*  was 
such,  "  thanks  to  his  mother,"  that  he  refrained  from 
accepting  invitations  to  "  outings  "  which  would  have 
involved  him  in  a  certain  expenditure.  He  also 
refused  invitations  to  country-houses,  as  he  could 
not  afford  to  give  the  customary  "  tips."  "  Two 
examples  out  of  a  thousand  will  show  the  incon- 
venience to  which  he  was  put  daily." 

As  Count  Shouvaloff  (the  Russian  Ambassador) 
had   been    exceedingly  civil  to    the    Prince,   his  Im- 

*  "  Le  Prince  Imperial  (Napoleon  Quatre),"  by  Comte  d'Herisson. 
Paris  :  Paul  OUendorft".     1900. 


•J0«  FMrT1E?;S  KUni^lNTE 

nerial  Iliiihnoss  invited  I  lis  Kxcellencv  to  dine  at  the 
St.  .lanu's's  llott'l  [now  the  lU'rkcloy)  ;  (roncral  Kleurv 
was  also  askod  to  meet  tlu'  oniiiu'ut  diplomatist. 
Fli'urv  \nu'\j)(.H'todlv  l)rouij,lit  with  him  a  friend,  in 
tho  jHTsoii  of  M.  Arthur  Mevcr,  thi'ii,  as  now,  the 
well-UiiowM  oditor-iii-chief  of  the  (Unulnis. 

"  M.  Mever,"  said  tlu^  General,  addressinir  the 
I'rinre,  "  at  first  hesitated  to  accept  the  invitation, 
which  1  took  the  liherty  of  giving  him  in  your  Im- 
perial Highne.ss's  name  ;  hut  he  accepted  it  when  I 
told  him  that  this  dinner  would  he  a  delightful 
souvenir  for  him." 

"  You  did  quite  right,  as  you  always  do,  General," 
said  the  Prince,  "  and  I  thank  you  for  bringing  M. 
Meyer." 

After  dinner  the  Prince  left  the  table  to  pay  the 
bill.  ( )wing  to  the  presence  of  an  extra  guest,  the 
amount  was  more  than  he  had  anticipated,  and  he 
found  that  he  was  short  by  some  thirty  shillings.  In 
this  emergency  the  Prince  was  compelled  to  send  for 
Fleury,  who  of  course  at  once  made  matters  right. 

Comte  d'Herisson  relates  that  on  another  occasion 
M.  Bachon,  the  Prince's  ecuyei\  went  over  the  stables 
at  Chislehurst  with  his  young  master.  Pointing  to 
one  of  the  horses,  M.  Bachon  said : 

"  Monseigneur,  you  cannot  possibly  continue  to 
mount  that  animal.  I  can  understand  now  why  you 
have  kept  out  of  the  hunting-Held.  Let  me  get  one 
which  will  be  worthy  of  you." 

A  few^  days  later  BAchon  told  the  Prince  that  he 
had  found  a  splendid  hunter  for  him.  The  price  was 
absurdly  low — only  6,000  francs.  The  owmer  was 
really  giving  the  animal  aw^ay. 

"  Two  hundred  and  forty  pounds  !"  said  the  Prince. 
"  It  is  certainly  very  little,  but  it  is  too  much  for  me. 
I  have  not  got  it." 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     207 

"  Never  mind  that,  Monseigneur  !  If  you  will 
allow  me,  I  will  go  and  ask  the  Empress  for  a 
cheque." 

The  Prince  was  aghast  at  the  suggestion,  and 
emphatically  forbade  Bachon  from  asking  the  Empress 
for  any  money  at  all.  There  were  tears  in  the 
Prince's  eyes  when,  after  more  confidential  talk, 
Bachon  ventured  to  say  :  "If  things  are  like  that, 
Monseigneur,  much  is  explained  which  I  did  not 
understand  until  now.  I  am  not  rich,  but  I  have  some- 
thing which  I  can  sell  ;  it  shall  never  be  said  that  the 
Prince  Imperial  rides  such  an  animal  as  thatr' 

It  is  to  these  and  similar  allegations  that  M. 
Calmette  gives  a  formal  denial. 

The  recorder  of  the  stories  here  outlined  adds  that 
Her  Majesty  knew  perfectly  well  all  about  this  gene 
(£ argent^  which  so  mortified  and  distressed  the  Prince, 
and  "  wished  money  matters  to  remain  as  they  were." 

"  xA.sk  me  for  whatever  you  want,"  the  Empress  is 
asserted  to  have  said  to  her  son,  "  and  you  shall  have 
it  immediately." 

"  The  Prince  rebelled  against  being  still  treated  as  a 
child,  but  his  pride  and  his  respectful  deference  to  his 
mother's  wishes  prevented  him  from  ever  uttering  a 
word  of  complaint." 

There  is  perhaps  more  surmise  than  exactness  in 
the  assertion  that  M.  Rouher  influenced  the  Prince  in 
the  making  of  his  will,  dated  February  26,  1879,  with 
a  codicil  leaving  to  the  eldest  son  of  Prince  (Jerome) 
Napoleon  the  task  of  continuing  the  work  of  Napo- 
leon 1.  and  Napoleon  III.  Immediately  after  the 
news  of  the  Prince's  death  reached  England,  M.  Rouher 
arrived  at  Chislehurst.  The  Prince's  will  was  locked 
up    in    a    desk,    of    which    M.    Pietri   had   the    key. 


208  KMrin-.ss  KrcnixiK 

"  M.  H(Militr  rt'niarkfd  that  lie  did  not  like  to  «t])(Mi 
tlu>  desk  in  M.  Tii'tii's  ;il)stMico  in  Corsica;  at  tlio 
sanu'  tinu'  it  wa^^  r\  idcnt  that  \\c  knew  tlic  contents  of 
the  will,  and  that  for  the  simple  reason  that  he  him- 
self had  written  that  document,  and  tliat  the  Prince 
Imperial  had  simply  co))ied  it  !"* 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  M.  Roiiher,  after  consultino;  a 
London  solicitor,  did  "  ()j)en  the  desk,"  and  so  was 
enabled  to  >liow  the  Empress  her  son's  will,  whicdi 
is  outlined  in  the  chapter  "  The  P^mpress's  Millions." 

When  Bismarck  was  told  that  Napoleon  III.  had 
passed  away,  the  Chancellor  is  credited  with  having 
exclaimed  :  "  He  has  killed  a  son  who  is  alive  and 
rebiiried  an  uncle  who  is  dead!" 

Let  us  hope  that  this  bitter  gibe  was  never  spoken. 
In  a  sense  it  was  true,  for  the  Emperor's  death  had 
destroyed  all  but  the  faintest  hope  of  the  Prince 
Imperial  ever  reigning  long  before  he  fell  under  the 
Zulus'  assegais.  The  manner  of  his  slaying,  however, 
martyrized  and  ennobled  him  as  nothing  else  could 
have  done,  and  the  Em})ress  was  solaced  by  the  know- 
ledge that  the  whole  world  hastened  to  participate  in 
her  grief.  The  spontaneous  outburst  of  sympathy  in 
this  country  was,  with  some  few  exceptions,  the 
result  of  a  feeling  that  the  young  man  had  been 
cruelly  deserted  by  his  companions,  "  left  to  die," 
without  a  friendly  hand  being  raised  in  his  defence. 
The  circumstances  attending  his  end  were  of  them- 
selves sufficient  to  immortalize  him  ;  but  those  who 
knew  him  cherish  and  laud  his  memory  for  his  many 
qualities  other  than  his  proved  courage.  Of  the 
sincerity  of  his  religious  belief,  of  his  nobility  of  soul, 
Monsignor  Goddard  has  told  us  something  ;  and  we 
*  Comte  d'Herisson. 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL    209 

know  from  other  of  his  friends  that,  when  he  was 
taken  into  the  room  where  the  dead  Emperor  was 
lying,  the  first  words  uttered  by  the  suddenly  bereaved 
boy  were  from  the  Lord's  Praj^er :  "  Thy  will  be 
done." 

To  M.  Evariste  Bavoux,  a  Conseiller  d'Etat  of  the 
Empire,  a  lifelong  friend  of  Napoleon  III.,  and  an 
occasional  guest  at  Chislehurst,  the  Prince's  "  Prayer  " 
suggested  the  "  Imitation  "  of  Thomas  a  Kempis  ;  it 
is  "  d'une  douceur  si  penetrante  qu'on  dirait,  si  Ton  ne 
craignait  de  faire  un  rapprochement  sacrilege,  qu'elle 
semble  une  continuation  du  '  Pater,'  "  and  M.  Bavoux 
adds  :  "  I  have  seen  former  political  adversaries,  and 
women,  who  could  not  read  it  with  dry  eyes.  .  .  . 
Beautiful  as  was  the  intelligence  displayed  in  the 
Prince's  letters,  it  was  surpassed  by  the  beauty  of  his 
soul." 

Few  men  have  possessed  in  so  marked  a  degree  his 
delicacy  and  chastity  of  thought  and  his  purity, 
revealed  to  the  world  only  after  his  death.  In  his 
conversation,  there  often  came  to  him  elevated 
thoughts,  which  he  expressed  simply,  without  sus- 
pecting their  beauty.  Someone  was  praising  intelli- 
gence, and  describing  it  as  the  greatest  virtue  in  the 
world,  the  real  Sovereign. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Prince ;  "  but  don't  you  think 
virtue  is  more  valuable  ?" 

At  the  dinner-table  at  Camden  Place,  some  time 
after  the  Emperor's  death,  duelling  was  discussed. 
With  two  exceptions,  all  present,  ladies  included, 
favoured  the  duel  as  an  institution.  The  Prince 
denounced  it  as  barbarous,  impious,  and  condemned 
by  the  Church.  The  ladies  smiled  almost  disdain- 
fully ;  they  could  not  understand  how  a  young  man 

14 


•no  EMruESs  laicJENiE 

oi  t'iulitrt'ii  citiild  Tail  lo  rt'uard  cliu'lliiiii'  as  chivalrous 
— *' iliu'llini::,  wliicli  means  two  uu-ii,  witli  drawn 
swords,  l)()tli  ready  to  run  Ids  o|)|)oiu'Mt  llirouuli!" 

I^arc^n  Tristan  Lanihert  liad  taken  tin'  I'rince's  side 
in  tlie  arLTunient,  and  wlien  tl>e  ]tartv  was  l)reaking  up 
the  Trince  said  to  luni  :  "  We  liad  a  dillicult  time, 
hut  1  assure  you  I  shall  not  change  my  mind." 

Amongst  evening  diversions  at  Clnslehnrst  was  the 
game  of  "  questions." 

"  AVliat,"  a  hidy  asked  the  Prince,  "do  you  think 
the  worst  quality  of  a  man  ?" 

"  Fear,"  was  the  reply. 

"  What  is  the  best  way  to  he  happy  ?" 

"  To  do  nothino;  against  vour  conscience." 

The  Emperor's  aifection  for  his  son  was,  in  the 
opinion  of  many,  carried  to  extremes.  One  day  in  liis 
early  boyhood  the  Prince  went  into  his  father's  study, 
and  began  to  handle  the  ornaments  which  struck  his 
fancy  while  the  Emperor  was  deep  in  his  papers. 
Presently  there  was  a  crash,  and,  looking  up  from  his 
desk,  the  Emperor  saw  the  floor  strewn  with  frag- 
ments of  porcelain.  "Louis"  had  knocked  over  a 
fass-e  belonging  to  a  Sevres  service  which  Napoleon  I. 
had  taken  with  him  to  St.  Helena.  Napoleon  III.  set 
great  store  on  the  priceless  relic,  but  not  a  word  of 
anger  fell  from  his  lips.  He  rang  the  bell,  a  servant 
answered  the  summons,  the  Emperor  said,  "  Take 
the  Prince  to  his  room,"  and  then  set  about  picking  up 
the  pieces  of  the  shattered  vase. 

The  Prince  Imperial  was,  to  employ  a  somewhat 
banal  phrase,  "  quite  a  ladies'  man,"  and  was  in  his 
element  when  in  the  society  of  the  fair  sex.  It  was,  I 
think,  Mme.  de  Metternich  who  humorously  said  she 
would  rather  have  the  boy-Prince's  opinion  on  a  dress 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     211 

than  Worth's.  Up  to  the  age  of  fourteen  he  was  a 
veritable  gamin  de  Paris,  laughing  and  dancing  round 
everybody  in  the  room.  He  was  artlessness  itself. 
From  Compiegne,  in  October,  1869,  Napoleon  HI. 
wrote  to  the  Empress  :  "  Le  matin,  et  apres  le  dejeuner, 
nous  chassons.  Louis  regrette  beaucoup  I'absence  du 
beau  sexe !"  His  impetuosity  was  almost  feminine, 
and  it  was  said  of  him  that  he  was  "  as  jealous  as 
Othello."  No  lady  went  to  the  Tuileries,  to  Compiegne, 
or  to  St.  Cloud,  whose  toilettes  were  not  remarked  and 
criticized  by  him. 

Shortly  after  the  Prince's  death  it  was  proposed 
to  erect  a  statue  in  Westminster  Abbey,  the  expense 
to  be  defrayed  by  a  national  subscription,  chiefly 
in  the  army.  The  idea  was  supported  by  the  then 
Prince  of  Wales,  the  Duke  of  Cambridge,  and  many 
distinguished  officers  ;  but  it  was  attacked  in  the 
House  of  Commons  as  being  likely  to  give  umbrage 
to  the  Government  of  the  Republic.  In  February 
(1880)  a  memorial,  signed  by  more  than  5,000  persons, 
was  presented  to  Dean  Stanley  protesting  against 
the  proposal,  and  a  deputation  from  the  International 
Peace  Association  attended  in  support  of  the  protest. 
The  Dean  said  it  was  not  proposed  to  erect  the  statue 
in  the  Abbey  Church  so  called,  but  in  the  royal 
mausoleum  attached  to  it  ;  and  Dr.  Stanley  em- 
phasized the  point  that  the  French  Government 
had  not  objected  to  the  erection  of  the  monu- 
ment, "  and  the  decision  of  last  year  could  not  be 
revoked." 

Dean  Stanley  had  not  fully  considered  how  the 
House  of  Commons  might  regard  the  project.  He 
soon  realized  that  the  "  collective  wisdom,"  or, 
rather,  162  malcontents — that  red-hot  Radical  Joseph 

14—2 


•jii?  i<:Mriii:ss  i:i(;Knik 

C'liaiiilK'i'laiii  ;lluoll^^t  lliciu — nvouM  Ikini-  nom-  ol  the 
slatut'.  This  is  what  ha|)j)t'm(l.  «  )m'  rxpoi'tL'd  bettiT 
things  «»t'  Sir  Chark's  Dilkc  and  Mr.  (Iiainhcrhnii. 

In  the  I'arliauu'iitarv  Session  of  ISSO,  Mr.  l)ri,u«::s 
moved  a  resolution  conihiuninu-  the  |>ro])osal  to  tTOct 
a  nH)nnnuMit  to  tlu-  Trincc  in  tiu-  Ahhcy.  Mr.  (Jhid- 
stoiu'  dc'pnraU'd  anv  interleri'iu'c  1)V  the  House  ot 
Commons  with  the  A1)1)l'V,  several  Meml)ers  spoke 
ot'  the  youni:;  uian's  uallantry  and  his  I'atljor's  Iriend- 
ship  for  Enghmd,  and  otiiers  used  stronj,^  language 
with  respect  to  tiie  agitation  out  of  doors  against 
the  monument.  Sir  Wilfrid  Lawson  was  of  o])inion 
that  the  proposal  would  be  objectionable  to  the 
French  Government.  Mr.  Broadhurst  spoke  strongly 
as  to  the  feeling  of  resentment  which  the  idea  had 
aroused  amongst  the  working  classes  of  France — 
a  feeling  sym])athized  with  by  the  working  classes 
in  England.  At  the  end  of  the  long  and  heated 
debate,  Mr.  Briggs's  motion  was  carried  by  162  to 
147,  although  most  of  the  members  of  the  Mmistry 
(Mr.  Gladstone,  then  Premier,  included)  were  for 
"  passing  it  by."  Those  members  of  the  Govern- 
ment who  voted  for  Mr.  Briggs's  motion  were  Mr. 
John  Bright,  Sir  Charles  Dilke,  Mr.  Fawcett,  Mr. 
Chamberlain,  and  Mr.  Shaw-Lefevre. 

Mr.  Gladstone  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  Prince 
Imperial  at  Chislehurst  railway-station  in  the  autumn 
of  1871 — an  event  noted  by  M.  Augustin  Filon  in  an 
interesting  essay,  "  A  French  View  "  of  the  eminent 
statesman,  contributed  to  the  Daily  Mail  in  December, 
1901). 

"  I  was  escorting  my  pupil,"  says  M.  Filon,  "  to 
King's  College,  where  he  was  attending  a  course  of 


MEMORIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     213 

lectures  on  natural  philosophy  by  Professor  Adams, 
and  we  were  waiting  for  the  London  train  at  Chisle- 
hurst  station,  when  Mr.  Gladstone,  accompanied  by 
Lord  Frederick  Cavendish,*  appeared  on  the  platform. 
He  was  returning  from  his  first  visit  to  our  exiled 
Emperor — a  visit  which  he  had  retarded  to  the 
extreme  limits  of  possible  delay,  for  this  was  in  the 
autumn  of  1871."  (The  Emperor  had  been  at  Chisle- 
hurst  since  March.)  "  As  soon  as  Gladstone  was 
made  aware  of  the  presence  of  the  Prince,  he  came  up 
to  him  and  entered  into  conversation.  He  asked  ques- 
tions about  his  studies  and  about  King's  College, 
which  he  warmly  eulogized.  He  seemed  worried  at 
first ;  his  manner  was  cold  and  stiff.  But  gradually 
his  face  relaxed  and  softened,  and  on  parting  he 
looked  down  on  the  imperial  lad  with  a  sort  of 
fatherly  interest  mingled  with  pity.  I  never  forgot 
that  look,  and  I  was  sadly  surprised,  a  few  years 
later,  when  Gladstone  denied  a  place  in  the  Abbey  to 
the  memorial  of  the  unfortunate  Prince  who  died  a 
soldier  of  England." 

"  Looking  at  it  from  a  purely  historical  point  of 
view,  and  taking  into  consideration  all  the  circum- 
stances," said  H.R.H.  the  Due  de  Nemours,  "  the 
death  of  Prince  Louis  Napoleon  is  one  of  the  most 
hideous  tragedies  of  modern  times  "  ;  and  that  is  how 
the  fatality  was  regarded  all  over  the  world. 

Very  generous,  too,  was  the  tribute  of  the  Comte 
de  Chambord  :  "  Pauvre  jeune  homme  !  He  was 
indeed  a  hero  and  a  Christian.  His  '  Prayer  '  touched 
me  greatly  ;  it  is  a  proof  to  those  who  doubt  it  that 
our  religion  is  still  fervent  and  alive  in  the  breasts  of 
the  best  and  greatest." 

*  Brother  of  the  late  Duke  of  Devonshire,  and  a  victim  of  the 
Phoenix  Park  tragedy. 


•:ii  KM  press;  eugenie 

llis  lk(»\;il  1  lii^liiu'ss  ("llciiri  \ ."),  \\\io  was  tlicn 
at  Fri)lisil()rrt',  caused  a  Mass  to  he  said  lor  tlic  Prince, 
liimsolf  and  all  the  nicnibers  of  his  little  Court 
attendiuii-  the  memorial  service.  On  the  same  day 
(June  '2(\  1S71<)  upwanU  dl"  .')()()  prominent  Royalists 
assembled  at  the  Chapelle  Expiatoire,  Paris,  and 
walked  in  procession  to  St.  Au2:ustin's,  where  they 
laid  an  immense  wreath  on  the  altar.  Indeed,  the 
Lei!:itimists  in  France  and  elsewhere  distini^uished 
themselves  hv  their  sympathetic  attitude  towards  the 
youni:  Bonapartist  Prince. 

"  The  premature  death  of  this  young  man,"  said  the 
then  Prince  of  Wales,  "  has  caused  pain  and  sympathy 
in  our  country  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest. 
S])eaking  personally  of  him,  I  can  say  that  a  more 
charming  young  man,  and  one  having  more  promise, 
has  seldom  existed.  If  Providence  had  designed  that 
he  should  succeed  his  father  as  Sovereign  of  that 
great  country,  our  neighbour,  he  would  have  made  an 
admirable  Emperor." 

Equally  generous  was  the  Duke  of  Cambridge's 
tribute  : 

"  This  young  man,  so  brave  and  so  distin- 
guished, came  to  see  me  several  times  before  he 
departed  for  Africa.  He  was  determined  to  go  ; 
never  have  I  seen  such  determination.  As  to  his 
conduct,  I  do  not  believe  there  can  be  any  doubts 
about  that.  He  was  an  excellent,  magnanimous 
young  man,  animated  by  superior  principles.  His 
courage  was  extraordinary.  Everybody  in  England 
will  render  homage  to  the  noble  qualities  of  the 
young  Prince  ;  I  am  sure  that  everywhere,  besides, 
they  w^ill  be  appreciated.  Why  has  a  life  so  precious 
been  so  unfortunately  lost  ?' 


MEMOKIES  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     215 

Queen  Alexandra  wrote  of  him  :  "  He  died  a  hero's 
death,  wearing  our  uniform."  Dare  I,  in  conclusion, 
adapt  Malesherbes'  lines  ? 

"  A  rose  he  lived,  and  he  lived  as  a  rose 
The  space  of  a  summer  morning." 


(II AFTER    XI 

SOMK  LETTERS  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL  WRITTEN 
AT  CHISLEHURST 

The  Prince  Imperinl  to  Prince  Louis  Murat. 

"Camden  Pi^vce,  Chisleuurst, 
-  _  ^  March  22,  1872. 

My  dear  Cousin, 

I  was  about  to  read  the  letters  which  have 
l)cen  sent  to  me  from  France  for  the  16th  of  March, 
when  I  received  yours,  which  contributed  to  increase 
my  happiness,  for  you  know,  dear  cousin,  how  much 
I  appreciate  your  kindly  remembrance  of  me. 

I  f^'^ither  from  vour  letter  that  vou  are  leavins:  for 
Switzerland.  Permit  me  to  express  a  hope  that  you 
will  have  a  pleasant  journey,  and  to  ask  you  to  believe 
that  I  am,  and  always  shall  be, 

Your  affectionate  cousin, 

Louis  Napoleon." 


Sir, 


To  M.  Clement  Rot/er. 

"Camden  Place,  Chislehurst  (Kent), 
September  8,  1871. 


The  letter  which  you  have  written  to  me, 
and  in  which  you  express,  in  such  affectionate  terms, 
your  attachment,  has  profoundly  touched  me  as  well 
as  their  Majesties,  to  whom   1   have  shown  it.     The 

216 


LETTERS  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     217 

Emperor  has  taught  me  to  appreciate  your  friendship 
by  the  value  which  he  attached  to  that  o£  your  father. 
It  gives  me  much  pleasure  to  learn  from  you  that  the 
dates  August  15  and  25  have  evoked  regrets  among 
those  who  remain  faithful  to  the  cause  of  the  Emperor. 
Our  thoughts  are  always  with  those  who  are  in  France 
and  whose  friendship  is  known  to  us.  Now,  more 
than  ever,  we  think  of  our  dear  country,  for  this  time 
of  the  year  brings  with  it  many  cruel  souvenirs. 

It  is  with  a  sentiment  of  lively  gratitude  that  I 
am,  sir. 

Your  aifectionate 

Louis  Napoleon." 


To  the  Same. 

"  Chislehurst, 

November  24,  1875. 

Sir, 

I  take  the  opportunity  of  the  departure  of 
M.  Falcon  de  Cimier  to  send  you  my  sincere  wishes 
for  your  happiness  and  my  thanks  for  your  unalter- 
able devotion  to  my  cause.  I  remember  that  on  the 
morrow  of  the  Commune,  at  the  moment  when  they 
overthrew  the  monument  [the  Vendome  Column]  con- 
secrated to  the  glories  of  our  country,  you  wrote  to 
me  that  it  was  easier  to  pull  down  statues  than  to  eiface 
the  remembrance  of  them  from  your  heart.  Ever 
since  then  I  have  seen  that  I  was  not  deceived  in 
reckoning  you,  not  only  amongst  the  most  faithful, 
but  amongst  the  boldest ;  and  to-day  it  is  as  your 
friend  that  I  share  your  happiness  and  beg  you  to 
believe  in  my  best  wishes. 

Napoleon." 


218  KMIMIKSS  KrCf.NlK 

Tt>  Louis  Xdpo/co//  Joseph  Euireiie  Conneau. 

This  letter  was  addressed  to  the  son  of  the  hite 
Dr.  ('(Mineau,  formerly  a  senator  of  the  Empire,  and 
the  et>mpani()n  in  eaptivity  at  Ham  of  the  future 
Napoh^on  111.  M.  Conneau  fls^  after  studying  with 
tlie  Prince  Imperial  at  the  Royal  Military  Academy 
at  Woolwich,  entered  the  French  Military  School  of 
St.  Cyr,  leaving  it  in  1876  as  a  sous-lieutenant.  The 
Prince  Imperial  sent  his  friend  a  sword,  and  with  it 
this  letter. 

"  Camden  Place,  Chislehurst, 
^  June  29,  1876. 

My  dear  Friend, 

On  my  return  from  camp  I  found  the  letter 
in  which  you  express  a  wish  that  your  father  had 
already  made  me  acquainted  with,  and  that  it  would 
be  a  duty  and  a  real  joy  to  realize. 

I  asked  M.  Clary  to  get  me,  at  Paris,  a  sword  of 
the  highest  (juality  and  of  regulation  pattern.  On 
one  side  of  it  I  have  had  engraved  the  dedication,  and 
on  the  other  an  old  war-cry  of  France  that  I  wish  to 
see  you  take  as  your  motto,  being  most  certainly 
Pasmvant  le  Meillor.  You  pass  before  the  best  in 
my  friendship ;  that  is  why  I  hope  you  will  also  pass 
before  the  best  on  the  battle-field,  and  wherever  duty 
may  call  you. 

My  affection  for  you  is  flattered  by  the  thought 
that  it  is  I  who  will  have  given  you  the  sword  which 
will  be,  I  am  sure,  the  instrument  of  your  fortune 
and  future  glory.  If  I  have  the  happiness,  which  it 
is  my  ambition  to  have,  of  fighting  with  you  side  by 
side,  I  shall  say  at  each  blow  that  I  see  you  strike, 
'  Mordieu !    the    sword   is   worthy    of    Conneau,    and 


LETTERS  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     219 

Conneau  is  worthy  of  the  sword  !'  And  the  sight 
of  your  courage  will  make  me  thrill  with  confidence. 
If,  unfortunately,  I  should  not  have  the  happiness  of 
sharing  your  perils,  if  I  may  not  some  da}^  tight  in 
such  good  company — well,  I  shall  still  have  the  satis- 
faction of  thinking  that  this  souvenir  of  our  close 
friendship  will  follow  you  everywhere,  and  that, 
hanging  by  the  side  of  your  heart,  this  good  weapon 
will  always  be  ready  to  show  that  your  heart  is  warm 
and  noble. 

Napoleon," 

On  the  sword  was   engraved :  "  Napoleon  a  L.-N. 
Conneau.    Passavant  le  Meillar.    (Fabrique  de  Paris.)" 

Tke  Prince  to  M.  Rouher  (before  leaving 
for  the  Cape). 

"  Camden  Place,  Chislehurst, 
February  25,  1879. 

My  dear  Monsieur  Rouher, 

I  am  leaving  Europe,  and  I  may  be  away 
some  months.  I  have  too  many  faithful  friends  in 
France  to  remain  silent  as  to  the  reasons  for  my 
departure.  For  eight  years  I  have  been  the  guest  of 
England.  I  completed  my  education  at  one  of  her 
military  schools,  and  on  several  occasions  I  have 
strengthened  the  ties  which  unite  me  to  the  English 
army  by  taking  part  in  the  great  manoeuvres  which 
it  has  executed.  The  war  which  England  has  been 
carrying  on  for  more  than  a  year  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  has  assumed  a  gravity  which  it  had  not  pre- 
sented until  now.  I  wish  to  follow  the  operations, 
and  I  shall  embark  in  two  days. 

In    France,   where,   thank    God !    party    spirit    has 


•220  KM  PRESS  EUOENTE 

not  killod  t\w  niilitarv  spirit,  tliev  will  understand 
that  1  liavi'  not  wished  to  remain  a  stranger  to  the 
fatiiiiios  and  tho  dan^rr  ot"  those  troops  amongst 
whom  I  liavo  so  many  comrades.  The  time  which  1 
shall  devote  to  assisting  in  this  contest  of  civiliza- 
tion against  harharism  will  not  he  lost.  Whether  I 
am  far  away  or  tiear,  my  thoughts  wnll  be  constantly 
of  France.  I  shall  follow  with  interest  and  without 
uneasiness  the  gradual  phases  which  she  will  go 
through,  for  I  am  sure  that  God  will  protect  her  ! 
During  my  absence  the  partisans  of  the  imperial 
cause  will  remain  united  and  conhdent,  and  will  con- 
tinue to  give  the  country  the  spectacle  of  a  party 
which,  faithful  to  its  doctrines,  remains  always  ani- 
mated by  sentiments  of  the  most  ardent  patriotism. 

Receive,  my  dear  Monsieur  Rouhei',  the  assurance 
of  my  sincere  friendship. 

Napoleon."  ■■•• 

Letters  addressed  to  M.  Eugene  Loudon. 

"  Chislehurst, 

Janua/ry  16,  1878. 

Since  you  wrote  to  me  last,  the  words  attributed 
to  M.  Gambetta  have  been  partly  borne  out.  General 
Ducrot  has  been  replaced,  and  the  French  Republic, 
having  tasted  a  first  success,  believes  it  can  follow 
this  work  of  weeding- out.  The  Marshal's  [MacMahon] 
turn  will  follow  naturally,  and  in  the  most  simple 
manner.  All  this  does  not  in  any  way  lessen  my 
confidence  in  my  cause :  far  from  it ;  on  the  contrary, 
I  think  it  is  necessary  to  double  zeal  and  energy.    For 

*  The  letters  given  above  were  translated  for  this  work  from  M. 
le  Comte  d'Herisson's  instructive  volume,  "Le  Prince  Imperial  (Napo- 
leon IV.)."     Paris  :  Paul  Ollendorff.     1890. 


LETTERS  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     221 

if  another  august  personality  [the  Emperor]  accus- 
tomed himself  to  exile,  I  do  not  wish  to  see  mine 
prolonged  indefinitely.  Even  as  I  think  of  the  future, 
and  for  the  honour  of  my  name " 

"  Chislehurst, 

March  28,  1878. 

...  I  have  entire  confidence  in  the  future.  I 
believe  in  the  historical  necessity.  But  this  fatalistic 
belief  will  not  cause  my  efforts  to  be  relaxed.  When 
it  is  necessary  to  act^  I  shall  act.'' 

"  Chislehurst, 

December  26,  1878. 
My  deak  Monsieur  Loudon, 

You  will  not  mind  my  asking  you  to  do  some- 
thing for  me.  I  believe  the  first  requirement  of  a 
man  in  my  position  is  to  know  the  perso7inel  of  his 
country.  Political  questions  are  the  chessboard  ;  the 
pieces  are  the  men.  I  have  organized  a  plan  by  which 
I  shall  receive  precise  information  upon  military,  ad- 
ministrative, judicial,  and  political  matters  of  France. 
I  want  you  to  take  part  in  this  organization  by  sending 
me  some  information  upon  the  Catholic  Church  and 
the  French  clergy.  I  want  your  notes  grouped  in  a 
certain  order  [this  order  the  Prince  described  in 
detail]." 

"  Chislehurst, 

February  19,  1879. 

...  I  have  not  travelled  much,  but  I  have  made 
some  notes  of  what  I  have  seen  in  foreign  countries. 
I  have,  for  instance,  found  more  real  democracy  in 
Spain  than  in  France.  In  Spain  a  grandee,  a  Duke, 
is  very  respectfully  served  by  his  valet,  but  the  next 
moment  the  valet  rolls  a  cigarette  between  his  fingers, 


KMrUKSS  Krcf.NiK 

takes  tlie  oiu'  his  master  is  sinokiiiii-,  mihI  liulits  his 
own  I'l'Din  it  !  l^otli  master  and  servant  eonsider  as 
tjuite  a  natural  tliiuu  tliis  sd/is-i^r/ir^  wliieh  would 
make  a  Freneliman  jump  !  .  .  .  Your  devotion  knows 
no  ohstaeles,  and  vour  political  faith,  like  your 
religious  helief,  is  beyond  all  doubt.  If  the  ])lan 
which  1  elaborated  eis^hteen  months  ago  has  not  suc- 
cei'ded,  it  is  because  there  are  certain  jnisillanimities 
whom  nothing  in  the  world  would  enable  to  triumph. 
While  regretting  that  the  revolutionary  evil  is  not 
nipped  in  the  bud,  I  bow  before  the  decisions  of 
Providence,  which  doubtless  ordains  that  the  trial 
which  France  should  undergo  should  be  complete  and 
definitive.  Patience  and  good  courage  ought  to  be 
our  watchword.  Nothing  very  important  Avill  happen 
until  next  year,  when " 

To  M.  Taine. 

"  Camden  Place,  Chislehurst, 

October  8,  1877. 
Sir, 

All  who  wish  to  be  enlightened  upon  the 
situation  in  our  country,  and  to  ascertain  the  causes 
of  the  instability  of  our  social  condition,  should  be 
grateful  to  you  for  your  work,  the  '  Origines  de  la 
France  Moderne.'  It  would  be  impossible  to  show 
more  attractively  the  results  of  many  years'  laborious 
research  and  deep  thought.  I  must  express  the  grati- 
tude I  owe  you  for  writing  those  pages.  Your  work 
not  only  responds  to  the  needs  of  my  mind,  but  it  has 
given  me  heartfelt  satisfaction.  Although  far  from 
my  country,  I  see  it,  at  least  in  thought,  through  your 
book  ;  and,  thanks  to  you,  sir,  I  have  been  able  to 
spend  many  hours  in  France. 

Napoleon." 


LETTERS  OF  THE  PRINCE  IMPERIAL     223 

In  his  reply  to  the  Prince's  letter,  M.  Taine  said 
he  had  never  aspired  to  be  more  than  a  historian  ;  he 
had  never  engaged  in  political  strife  ;  his  desire  had 
been  to  render  a  service  to  his  countrymen  by  "  telling 
them  what  their  grandfathers  were  like."  * 

To  the  above  may  be  added  this  charming  letter 
written  to  the  Prince  Imperial,  shortly  before  the  war, 
by  the  late  Marchioness  of  Ely.  Lady  Ely  was  sent 
by  Queen  Victoria  to  the  Tuileries  shortly  before  the 
Empress  Eugenie's  accouchement,  and,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  doctors  and  the  attendants,  was  the 
only  ocular  witness  of  the  birth  of  the  Prince.  She 
wrote : 

"  A  son  Altesse  le  Prince  Imperial. 

Monsieur, 

Will  your  Imperial  Highness  do  me  the 
honour  to  accept  the  accompanying  souvenirs  ?  I 
brought  them  from  Jerusalem  for  your  Imperial 
Highness.  They  have  all  been  blessed,  and  I  took 
them  with  me  to  all  the  holy  places.  One  is  a 
pilgrim's  shell.  I  hope  your  Imperial  Highness  is 
quite  well.  I  am  so  sorry  not  to  have  been  able  to 
go  to  Paris,  as  I  had  hoped  to  do  ;  but  my  mother 
has  been  very  ill,  and  I  cannot  leave  England  at 
present.  Last  week  I  returned,  with  the  Queen, 
from  Balmoral.  There  was  no  little  snow  in  the 
Highlands,  and  we  saw  a  great  deal  when  we  were 
coming  south  ;  but  the  Queen  has  not  suffered  from 

*  The  third  volume  of  the  "  Life  and  Letters  of  Taine,"  abridged 
and  translated  from  the  French  by  E.  Sparvel-Bayly,  was  published 
by  Constable  in  July,  1908.  The  letters  deal  with  the  war  and  the 
Commune,  and  with  Taine's  work  on  the  French  devolution. 


'2-24  KMruKss  kuc;enie 

the  cold.  Mmv  1  ask  voiir  Imperial  IIii;linuss  to  he 
good  enoiiiih  to  present  my  liiiiiihle  (hity  to  their 
Imperial  Majesties  the  Kmpi'ror  ami  the  Empress  ? 
I  hope  the  Em])ress  is  {{iiite  well.  I  have  the  honour 
to  he  always  your  Imperial  llighness's  very  sincere 

Jane  Ely." 


CHAPTER  XII 

LETTERS  WRITTEN  BY  THE  EMPRESS  AT  HASTINGS 
AND  CHISLEHURST 

To  the  Emperor  of  Austria. 

"  Hastings, 

_,  September  13,  1870, 

Sire, 

The  Government  which  has  possessed  itself  of 

power  at  Paris  has  addressed  itself  directly  to  Count 

Bismarck  in  order  to  obtain  the  signature  of  a  Treaty 

of  Peace.     M.  Thiers  has  been  charged  to  intercede 

with   the  neutral    Powers,  and   to   request   them   to 

mediate  between  the  belligerents.     I  will  not  examine 

the  chances  of  the  deliverance  of  my  country  by  the 

Army  of  the  Rhine,  which  is  fighting  heroically  under 

the  walls  of  Metz,  and  by  the  courage  of  the  defenders 

of  Paris.     I  may  not  have  a  personal  opinion  on  these 

questions.     But    France,    afflicted    by    the    disasters 

which  she  has  undergone,  wishes  to  stop  the  flowing 

of  blood  and  desires  peace. 

Have  not  the  neutral  Powers   a  humane  duty  to 

perform — to   protect  the  interests  of  the  future  by 

rendering  possible,  through  their  friendly  intervention, 

an  equitable  Treaty  of  Peace  ?     Misfortunes  weigh 

heavily  upon  us.  Sire.     The  Emperor  a  prisoner,  he 

can  do  nothing  for  his  country  at  the  moment.     As 

for  me,  driven  from  France  by  circumstances  foreign 

225  15 


'2^2t]  EMPRESS  EUGENIE 

t(i  luN  will,  I  ;mi  ;i  spectiitor  ol"  a  conilict  wliicli 
hu'orates  inv  heart,  and  I  cannot  remain  unite  heiore 
so  nianv  sorrows  and  so  many  ruins,  I  know  that  in 
adlhH^ss^n^;•  your  Majesty  you  will  uiulerstand  that  my 
sole  ]in'0('euj)ation  is  France,  and  tliat  it  is  for  her 
aloni'  that  my  sorcdy  tried  lioart pleads.  I  nourish  the 
lutjie  thai  your  Majesty  will  use  your  influence  to  pre- 
serve my  country  from  humiliating  exigencies,  and  to 
olUain  a  })eace  which  will  respect  the  integrity  of  its 

territorv.  t?,.^^xtxt,  » 

Eugenie. 

The  Emperor  Francis  Joseph,  in  his  reply,  expressed 
his  deep  sympathy  with  France  in  her  misfortunes, 
remarking,  however,  that  there  were  occasions  when 
Sovereigns  were  not  able  to  follow  the  promptings  of 
their  hearts. 

To  the  Emperor  Alexander  II. 

*'  Hastings, 
g  September  13,  1870. 

Far  from  my  country,  I  w^rite  to-day  to  your 
Majesty.  A  few  days  ago,  when  the  destinies  of 
F'rance  were  still  in  the  hands  of  the  power  constituted 
by  the  Emperor,  if  I  had  taken  this  step  I  should 
perhaps  have  appeared  in  the  eyes  of  your  Majesty, 
and  in  those  of  France,  to  be  doubting  the  living 
strength  of  my  country.  Recent  events  have  given 
me  my  liberty,  and  I  can  address  myself  to  your 
Majesty's  heart.  If  I  have  rightly  understood  the 
reports  from  our  Ambassador,  General  Fleury,  your 
Majesty  put  aside  a  priori  the  dismemberment  of 
France.  Fate  has  been  against  us.  The  Emperor  is 
a  prisoner,  and  is  calumniated.  Another  Government 
has  undertaken  the  task  which  we  regarded  as  our 


LETTERS  FROM  CHISLEHURST        227 

duty  to  fulfil.     I  entreat  your  Majesty  to  use  your 

influence   in   order  that  an   honourable  and  durable 

peace  may  be  concluded  when  the  time  arrives.     May 

France,  whatever  may  be  its  government,  find  your 

Majesty  animated  by  the  same  sentiments  which  you 

have   displayed    to    us    during   these    heavy    trials  ! 

Placed  as  I  am,  everything  may  be  misinterpreted.     I 

beg  your  Majesty,  then,  to  keep  secret  this  step,  which 

your  judicious  mind  will  understand,  and  which  I  have 

been  inspired  to  take  by  the  remembrance  of   your 

sojourn  in  Paris. 

Eug£nie." 

The  Tsars  Reply. 

"  Tsarskoe-Selo, 

October  2,  1870. 

I  have  received,  Madame,  the  letter  which  your 
Majesty  has  been  good  enough  to  send  me.  I  under- 
stand and  appreciate  the  motive  which  led  you  to  write 
it,  and  which  makes  you  forget  all  your  misfortunes 
and  think  only  of  those  of  France.  I  take  a  sincere 
interest  in  them,  and  ardently  hope  that  peace  will 
promptly  arrive  and  put  an  end  to  them,  as  well  as  to 
the  evils  which  result  therefrom  for  all  Europe.  I 
believe  that  the  more  equitable  and  the  more  moderate 
this  peace  is  the  more  solid  it  will  be.  I  have  done, 
and  will  continue  to  do,  everything  which  appertains 
to  me  to  contribute  to  this  result,  which  has  all  my 
wishes.  I  thank  you  for  your  hon  soiwenir  and  for 
your  confidence  in  my  sentiments.* 

Alexander." 

*  Five  months  later  (February  27,  1871)  the  Tsar  wrote  to  the 
Emperor  William  I.  :  "I  thank  you  for  sending  me  the  details  of 
the  preliminaries  of  peace.  I  share  your  joy.  I  am  happy  to  have 
been  in  a  position  to  prove  my  sympathy  as  a  devoted  friend." 

15—2 


-2128  EMPUP:SS  EUGENIE 

To  the  Countess  IVdlcirska. 

"  Chislehurst, 

November  7,  1870. 

I  admit  tliat  1  greatly  regret  it  [the  rupture  of 
tlie  peaee  uegotiations],  althouirh,  for  us,  the  meeting 
of  an  Assembly  cannot  be  other  than  the  ruin  of  our 
hopes  ;  for  in  the  present  circumstances  it  will  eer- 
tainlv  vote  the  der/ieanrr.  But  the  desire  to  see  the 
country  make  that  peace  wliich  is  indispensable,  even 
from  the  point  of  view  of  the  future,  dominates  every- 
thing else  with  me.  .  .  . 

Eugenie." 

To  Mme.  Bazaine. 

"  Chislehurst. 

.  .  .  The  delegates  at  Tours  knew  how  short  was 
the  supply  of  food  [at  Metz].  I  sent  Bourbaki  there, 
who  did  not  conceal  anything  from  them.  Later, 
General  Boyer  was  sent  to  M.  Tissot,  to  let  him  know 
that  the  armistice  ought  to  be  pressed  on,  if  the  army 
was  to  be  saved.  Finally,  I  myself  warned  them 
by  telegram  of  the  urgency  [for  the  arrangement 
of  an  armistice]  ;  but  they  did  nothing — only  cried 
'  Treason  !'  because  that  was  the  only  way  of  shelter- 
ing themselves  from  the  accusations  of  the  public. 
For  the  rest,  when  one  betrays,  one  does  it,  generally, 
to  benefit  by  it.  Evidently  the  Marshal's  interest 
was  to  remain  at  the  head  of  his  army  as  long  as 
possible.  .  .  .  You  are  right  in  thinking  that  for 
notliing  in  the  world  would  I  put  dynastic  interests 

before  the  interests  of  France. 

Eugenie." 


LETTERS  FROM  CHISLEHURST         229 

'"''  If  I  were  at  the  T idler ies  /" 

Some  days  before  writing  the  above  (November  20), 
the  Empress  penned  another  letter,  the  terms  of  which 
redound  to  her  credit : 

"  Camden  Place, 

November  9,  1870. 

Alas  !  each  day  brings  one  chagrin  the  more  ! 
I  am  almost  discouraged  at  seeing  nothing  on  the 
horizon  for  our  poor  country.  To-day  it  is  said  that 
the  negotiations  for  an  armistice  are  broken  off.  I 
confess  I  deeply  regret  it,  although  for  us  the  meeting 
of  an  Assembly  can  be  only  the  ruin  of  our  hopes,  for 
it  would  certainly,  in  the  actual  circumstances,  vote 
the  dechemice. 

But  with  me  the  desire  to  see  the  country  make 
that  peace  which  is  indispensable  for  it,  even  from  the 
point  of  view  of  the  future,  dominates  everything 
else.  From  various  quarters  I  receive  letters  which 
tell  me  that  disorders  are  at  their  height.  I  fear  also 
lest  the  conditions  of  peace  should  l)ecome  harder 
and  harder.  But  what  to  do  and  what  to  think  when 
one  sees  a  system  of  treachery  practised  towards  the 
country  tending  to  its  illusion  and  its  loss  ?  I  am 
very  unhappy,  and  have  hardly  the  courage  to  hope. 

General  Changarnier  behaved  admirably  at  Metz, 
and  nobody  has  a  word  to  say  against  him. 

If  I  were  at  the  Tuileries^  I  should  not  hesitate 
to  write  and  tell  him  how  I  admire  his  attitude.  But 
in  existing  circumstances  /  dare  not  do  it,  for  I  fear 
that  such  action  on  my  part  would  be  misinterpreted. 

If    you    see    L ,  try  to  make  him  understand 

how  clever  it  would  be  of  Germany  not  to  insist  upon 
the  surrender  of  territory,  as  to  do   so   would   only 


'230  KMIMIKSS   KUGENIE 

(.Mii::i'n(li'r  war  upon  war.  I  think  tlii'v  [tlic  Germans] 
must  fet'l  tliat  tlu'v  liavc  undertaken  a  dillicult  task. 
Hut  e<>n(|uer()rs  ni'ver  stop.    It  is  tliis  wliicli  loses  them." 

Fhe  Kuipri'ss's  K'tters  are  curious,  it'  only  because 
they  indicate  the  moral  condition  of  affairs  prevailing 
at  Camden  Place  a  very  few  months  after  the  fall  of 
the  Empire. 

Not  long  after  the  disaster  at  Sedan,  and  during 
the  tirst  few  weeks  of  her  residence  at  Camden  Place, 
the  Empress  was  urged  by  Count  BernstorfF,  then 
Prussia's  representative  at  the  Court  of  St.  James,  to 
sign,  in  her  capacity  of  Regent,  a  treaty  of  peace,  the 
terms  bein^-  the  cession  of  Strasburo-  and  the  imme- 
diately  surrounding  neighbourhood — merely  the  out- 
skirts— and  the  payment  of  an  indemnity  of  one 
milliard  francs  (£40,000,000).  Count  Bernstorft'  put 
forward  this  proposal  after  he  had  conversed  with 
M.  de  Persigny  on  the  subject.  The  Empress,  how- 
ever, "  entrenched  herself  in  her  pride,"  and  refused 
to  sign  the  treaty,  on  the  ground  that  she  did  not 
wish  to  be  a  source  of  trouble  to  the  Government 
which  had  come  into  power.  It  was  said,  later,  that 
when  the  Government  of  National  Defence  heard 
of  this  negative  action  on  the  part  of  the  Empress,  it 
"  entered  into  relations  with  her  and  thanked  her." 
The  following  letter,  written  by  the  Empress,  does 
not,  as  w^ill  be  seen,  support  that  view  : 

"  //  is  heUfor  me  to  he  silent  and  wait!' 

"  Camden  Place,  Chislehukst, 
November  20,  1870. 

The  same  motives  which  caused  me  to  maintain 
the  greatest  reserve  still  existing,  it  is  best  for  me  to 
be  silent  and  w^ait. 


LETTERS  FROM  CHISLEHURST        231 

But  I  reject  indignantly  the  idea  that  I  have  had 
relations  with  the  Tours  Government.  In  reply  to  a 
letter,  addressed  to  me  by  a  diplomatist,  one  of  my 
friends,  who  begged  me  to  prevent  the  capitulation  of 
Metz  until  an  armistice  was  concluded,  if  it  was  in 
my  power  to  do  so,  I  pointed  out  that  as  the  capitula- 
tion was  hourly  expected,  as  the  food-supply  had 
given  out,  it  was  necessary,  in  order  to  save  Metz,  to 
hasten  the  armistice. 

Those  who  know  me  are  well  aware  that  I  would 
sacrifice  my  own  interests  in  order  to  preserve  the  army, 
but  that  I  would  never  make  a  merit  of  sacrificing  my 
friends.  As  to  the  aflPair  of  the  Fourth  [September  4, 
1870,  the  day  of  the  decheance^,  I  will  merely  say  that 
General  Trochu  abandoned  me,  if  not  worse.  He  never 
appeared  at  the  Tuileries  after  the  invasion  of  the 
Chamber,  nor  did  any  other  Ministers,  with  the 
exception  of  three,  who  insisted  upon  my  going, 
although  I  did  not  want  to  leave  until  the  Tuileries 
themselves  were  invaded.  Light  will  be  thrown  upon 
this,  as  upon  many  other  things.  ...  I  believe 
General  Changarnier  already  knows  this  through 
General  Boyer,  who  has  been  perfectly  an  fait  of 
all  which  passes  here  [Chislehurst]." 

"  A  little  money  for  our  wounded." 

"  Camden  Place, 

December  10,  1870. 

Count  C [probably  Count  Clary,  a  prominent 

member  of  the  little  Court  at  Chislehurst]  will  hand 
you,  in  the  name  of  the  Prince  Imperial,  a  little  money 
for  you  to  make  the  best  use  of  for  our  wounded. 
I  deeply  regret  that  I  am  not  rich  enough  to  be  able 
to  relieve  their  distress. 


•J.VJ  EMPRESS  EUGENIE 

All  th:u  sou  toll  nio  about  General  Cliangarnier 
ileeply  interests  me  ;  hut  I  believe  that  he  is  (lecidedly 
on  the  side  of  the  Orleanists.  1  regret  it,  for  lie  would 
certainly  have  a  Hner  role  with  us. 

I  believe  an  Assembly  can  only  be  very  hostile, 
because  I  do  not  believe,  at  ])resent,  in  the  freedom 
of  the  vote.  Meanwhile  no  Government  would  be 
strong  enough  to  sign  a  peace  on  the  conditions  which 
Prussia  will  necessarily  impose.  I  do  not  at  present 
believe  in  a  prolongation  of  the  war.  It  is  probable 
that  a  fresh  sortie  will  be  attempted  unless  the  accept- 
ance of  an  armistice  should  bring  peace." 

"  Ignorant  people  like  my  self.'' 

M.  Magne  was  Minister  of  Finance  under  the 
presidency  of  M.  Thiers.  The  Empress  wrote  from 
Chislehurst  to  one  of  her  friends  while  the  war  was 
still  raging  : 

"  I  have  just  read  the  report  of  the  ^linister  of 
Finance,  and  I  cannot  refrain  from  a  feeling  of  pride 
in  perusing  this  remarkable  work,  for  we  owe  it  to  a 
former  Minister  of  the  Empire.  It  is  admirable  in  its 
lucidity  and  simplicity.  We  were  not  accustomed  to 
find  our  way  through  masses  of  figures.  M.  Magne 
has  the  talent  of  making  ignorant  people  like  myself 
believe  that  they  are  financiers." 

"  That  crazy  Gambetta." 

"  The  news  from  France  horrifies  me.  That  crazy 
Gambetta  seems  desirous  of  replacing  by  agitation 
that  organization  which  is  so  necessary.  The  success 
of  the  Army  of  the  Loire  comes  to  give  us  courage  ; 
but  I  am  afraid  lest  it  should  undertake  a  march  which 
might  end  in  its  perishing,  like  that  of  Sedan,     May 


LETTERS  FROM  CHISLEHURST        233 

Heaven  protect  it  !      It  seems   to   me   that  we  are 
approaching  the  end  of  things. 

Here  [in  England]  the  public  mind  is  over- 
excited. People  talk  about  the  war,  but  hope  for  a 
Congress." 

Very  Sad  News  from  Paris. 

"  Chislehurst, 

April  21,  1871. 

The  news  from  Paris  is  very  sad.  Behold  the 
fruits  of  personal  ambitions.  Victor  or  vanquished, 
the  responsibility  of  the  Government  will  not  be  less. 
They  abandoned  Paris  to  retake  it  ;  but  at  what  a 
price  !  They  left  arms  with  the  National  Guards  to 
secure  a  false  popularity  ;  but  what  means  are  to  be 
taken  to  disarm  them  ? 

Whatever  be  the  result  of  the  struggle,  the 
Government  bears  within  it  the  germ  of  its  death. 
For  the  rest,  people  are  used  up  very  quickly  at 
present." 

The  Vendome  Column. 

"  Chislehurst, 

May  19,  1871. 

The  pulling  down  of  the  Vendome  Column  horri- 
fies me.  It  is  worse  than  a  defeat ;  it  is  a  shame  for 
everybody." 

The  Empress  to  the  Duchesse  de  Mouchi).^ 

"  Chislehurst, 

,,      ^  ,  June  17,  1871. 

My  Dear  Anna, 

I  know  not  whether  mv  indis^nation  will  be  strouii: 

enough  to  enable  me  to  surmount  the  disgust  which 

*  Nee  Princesse  Anna  Murat. 


2U  KMPKKSS   KUC;EN1K 

1  i*xj>oririico  in  tliiiikiiii;-  of  this  man  [rft'iioral  Trocliii], 
who,  after  havinu-  hrtrayi'il  and  deserted  his  Sovereign, 
attempts  to  dislu)nour  a  woman  from  a  French  tribune 
[Niitioiial  Assemhly].  In  a  fantastic  narrative  he 
ventures  to  represent  me  as  an  aml)itious  creature, 
prepared  to  sacrilice  botli  tlu'  nation  and  tlie  Emperor. 
\  ou  who  know  that  the  Kmperor  lias  become  more 
dear  to  me  since  his  misfortunes — you  who  know  how 
much  I  admire  his  abnegation,  his  courage,  his  un- 
shakable calmness  in  the  presence  of  the  vilest 
calumnies — do  you  think  I  would  have  chosen  to 
renounce  him  at  such  a  time  ?  I  resolutely  accept 
the  share  of  responsibilit}^  that  accrues  to  me  in  the 
political  events  I  w^as  mixed  up  with  during  my 
tenure  of  the  Regency  ;  but  there  is  one  honour 
which  belongs  to  me,  and  of  wdiich  I  will  not  allow 
mvself  to  be  robbed — the  honour  of  havins:  had  but 
one  thought,  the  safety  of  the  country,  and  of  having 
made  all  dynastic  considerations  subservient  to  that 
great  cause." 

I  embrace  you  tenderly,  you  and  yours. 

Your  affectionate 

EUGI^NIE." 

The  Comte  de  Chambord. 

"  Chislehurst, 

October  18,  1873. 

Several  changes  have  taken  place,  and,  if  I  may 
credit  the  newspapers,  the  acceptance  by  Monsieur  le 
Comte  de  Chambord  is  a  foregone  conclusion.  All 
seems  to  be  going  on  wheels,  and  meanwhile  I  believe 
it  im})ossible  that  the  country  will  accept  for  very  long 
what  is  done  outside  it.  The  Comte  de  Chambord,  if 
lie  accepts^  is  no  more  than  the  heir  of  King  Louis 


LETTERS  FROM  CHISLEHURST        235 

Philippe.  One  Chamber  calls  him — another  over- 
throws him,  like  King  Amadeus.  The  great  principle 
which  he  represented,  and  which  placed  him  beyond 
caprices  and  passions — that  Divine  right  of  which  so 
much  was  heard — is  as  naught  to-day,  and  he  will 
remain  the  elected  of  the  Assembly.  We  know 
whither  these  concessions  lead.  The  road  is  shorter 
to  traverse  when  littered  with  one's  prestige.  I  refuse 
to  believe  that  the  Comte  de  Chambord  will,  so  to 
speak,  deny  what  he  has  himself  said." 

When  the  Comte  de  Chambord  declared  that  he 
could  not  accept  the  tricolour,  thus  destroying  the 
hopes  of  his  friends,  the  Empress  rejoiced : 

"  What  do  you  say  about  the  Comte  de  Chambord's 
letter  ?  I  knew  that  he  could  not  abandon  his  prin- 
ciples or  his  flag.  .  .  .     His  letter  is  a  beautiful  one." 

The  Empress  to  the  Bishop  of  Troijes* 

"  Camden  Place,  Chislehurst, 

MONSIGNOR,  "^^^"^^^'^  1^'  1^^*- 

I  am  told,  but  I  can  scarcely  believe  it  to  be 
true,  that  you  have  forbidden  the  celebration  of 
Masses  which  it  was  wished  to  have  said  in  your 
diocese  for  the  repose  of  the  soul  of  the  Emperor 
Napoleon  III.  I  can  hardly  believe  it,  because  the 
Church  has  never  refused  a  prayer  for  the  dead. 
The  spirit  of  charity  and  brotherl}^  love  form  one 
long  chain  which  binds  us  the  one  to  the  other,  the 

*  In  a  communication  addressed  to  a  local  paper,  L' IncUpendant 
de  I'Auhe,  the  Bishop  complained  that  he  had  been  misinterpreted 
by  the  Paris  Press.  He  explained  that  he  had  informed  a  certain 
curi  that  "  he  would  tolerate  a  Low  Mass,  provided  no  letters  of 
invitation  were  sent  out." 


23r>  KMPKESS  EUGENIE 

ricli  ov  the  poor,  those  in  prosperity  or  those  in 
atlversity.  tlie  liviiii:;  and  the  dead.  No  —  it  is 
impossible  that  you  can  have  refused  a  prayer  for 
him  who  founded  the  Institution  of  Almoners  for 
sayiui::  the  prayers  after  death.  No — it  is  impossible, 
when  you  protest  against  those  civil  burials  which 
deprive  a  Cliristian  of  the  prayers  of  the  Church, 
that  you  can  have  refused  those  same  prayers  wlien 
asked  for.  Moreover,  it  is  impossible  that  you  can 
have  forgotten  the  oath  which  you  took  in  the 
presence  of  him  who  is  no  more.  If,  however,  such 
be  really  the  case,  I  can  only  finish  my  letter  by 
calling  to  your  memory  the  closing  sentence  in  the 
form  of  oath  taken  by  the  Bishops  of  our  Church  : 
'  May  I  be  able  to  answer  my  account  for  it  to  God.' 

Eugenie." 

The  Empress  and  the  Glasgow  Dumfriesshire 
Society. 

In  1908  the  Empress  was  asked  to  become  a 
patroness  of  a  charital^le  institution  in  Scotland.  Her 
Majesty's  Secretary,  M,  Franceschini  Pietri,  was  in- 
structed to  write  as  follows:* 

•'  Farnbo ROUGH  Hill, 

Farnborougei,  Hants, 
gjj^  October  21,  1908. 

The  Empress  has  received  your  letter  re- 
questing her  to  accord  her  patronage  to  the  Glasgow 
Dumfriesshire  Society.  Her  Majesty  regrets  to  be 
unable  to  grant  the  request  which  you,  as  President 
of  the  Society,  have  addressed  to  her.     Having,  how- 

*  Translated  from  the  original,  a  copy  of  which  was  sent  to  the 
author  by  Professor  Edgar.  It  is  the  only  letter  of  the  kind  which 
has  come  under  the  author's  notice. 


LETTERS  FROM  OHISLEHURST        237 

ever,  for  a  long  time  declined  to  accept  any  of  the 
numerous  invitations  of  this  kind  which  she  has 
received,  requesting  her  to  appear  on  published  lists 
of  patronesses  of  associations,  she  regrets  that  she 
cannot  make  an  exception  in  this  case,  and  is  con- 
sequently unable  to  depart  from  her  rule.  In  order, 
however,  to  show  the  interest  she  takes  in  your 
Society,  to  which  she  is  united  by  very  old  family 
ties,  she  desires  me  to  send  you  the  enclosed  cheque 
[£5]. 

I  remain,  sir,  yours,  etc., 

F.    PlETRI. 

To  Monsieur  John  Edgar, 
President  of  the  Glasgow  Dumfriesshire 
Society,  and  Professor  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  St.  Andrews." 


'.^8>^ 


/^^ 


/^^^^  jx-^c-itf^ 


^^;;//f€.'S^  i?-i-'«—     ^     ,^<f^»y;^  -£_^j^^ 


FACSIMILE    OK   A  LETTER  WRITTEN    TO    A    FRIEND    BY   THE    EMPRESS    EUGENIE 
SOON   AFTER   HBR   MARRIAGE. 


238  EMPPxESS  EUORNTE 

"  Ma  ciif.uk  Maimi;, 

.K'  viens  dc  voir  Ic  nonce.  Jc  desire  vwcmoiit 
savoir  Tinipression  ijiie  niu  conversation  lui  a  caiisce. 

Tacliez  de  la  savoir. 

Eugenie." 

"  My  dear  Marie, 

1  have  just  seen  the  Nuncio.  I  ixirtwularbf 
want  to  know  what  impression  my  conversation  made 
upon  him.     Try  to  find  out." 

Note. — Some  of  these  letters  are  reproduced  from  M.  Pierre 
de  Lano's  interesting  work,  "  L'lmperatrice  Eugonie,"  published  by 
Victor  Havard  (Paris)  in  1894. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

MY  FIEST  INTERVIEW  WITH  THE  EMPRESS  EUG£NIE 

BY   THE    RIGHT    REV.    MONSIGNOR   GODDARD 

On  Sunday,  January  15,  1871,  I  had  the  honour  of 
breakfasting  with  Her  Majesty  the  Empress.  I  sat 
on  her  left  hand.  During  breakfast  the  conversation 
was  general,  Her  Majesty  making  occasional  observa- 
tions to  those  around  her  on  the  affairs  of  France,  etc. 
Amongst  other  things,  she  said  that  "  they  had  eaten 
horse-flesh  on  more  than  one  occasion — once  when  an 
invaluable  race-horse  broke  its  leg,  and  once  when 
they  went  to  the  horse  abattoir."  Her  Majesty 
observed  that  the  omnibus  horses  would  be  of  much 
service. 

One  of  the  gentlemen  said :  "  Votre  Majeste  est 
completement  en  erreur." 

"  Pourquoi  done  ?"  observed  the  Empress. 

"  A  cause  du  boeuf,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Qu'est-ce  que  vous  voulez  dire  ?"  asked  Her 
Majesty. 

"  Ah  !     Je  ne  puis  plus  dire,  Madame." 

"  Ah  !"  said  the  Empress  ;  "  c'est  vrai.  Je  com- 
prends  ;"  which  was  more  than  I  did. 

We  spoke  of  the  School  Bill,  of  poor  St.  Sulpice, 
hit  by  the  shells,  etc. 

After  breakfast  Her  Majesty  took  me  on  one  side, 

239 


240  1':M  PRESS  KUGENIE 

and  kcjit  \uv  in  conversation  for  more  than  an  lioiir. 
Of  L'onrsc  we  spoke  ])rin('i])ally  of  tlie  state  of  affairs 
at  the  time.  She  regretted  mnch  the  inditi'erence  of 
"  nos  allies,"  and  thonght  February  (S  "  bien  loin." 

She  said  that  she  herself,  had  matters  been  left  in 
her  hands,  would  certainly  have  made  peace  after 
September  4,  and  that  the  Republicans  at  that  time, 
if  thev  only  "en  voulaient  a  I'Empire,"  would  have 
hail  a  ))etter  chance  of  securing  their  end.  She 
agreed  with  me  that  they  were  only  continuing  the 
^yar  for  their  own  ends. 

She  had  received  information  that  the  Chamber 
would  be  "  envahi."  She  sent  for  Trochu,  to  whom, 
as  Commandant  of  Paris,  everything  was  entrusted, 
and  asked  what  he  intended  to  do.  He  made  some 
evasive  reply,  and  said  that,  as  for  the  person  of  Her 
Majesty,  the  mob  would  have  to  pass  over  his  body. 

"  Mais  il  n'est  pas  question  de  moi,  mais  de  la 
Chambre,"  said  the  Empress  to  Trochu.  "  He  shufiied, 
and  the  Chamber  was  invaded." 

"  Trochu's  conduct,"  continued  Her  Majesty,  "  was 
unintelligible,  considering  that  he  professed  to  be  a 
relio:ious  man.  His  conduct  will  come  home  to  him. 
His  Fourth  of  September  is  coming.  The  preserva- 
tion Government  has  lost  all  the  strong  places  of 
France  ;  the  Empire  did  not  lose  one.  Moreover, 
Trochu,  as  a  religious  man,  must  feel  the  fall  of  the 
Pope,  for  as  long  as  I  was  in  Paris  the  Pope  was 
safe.  When  I  left  Paris  the  Italians  entered  Rome. 
I  do  not  understand  this  Trochu  ;  he  is  a  pig-headed 
man,  a  Breton.  I  knew  his  '  famous '  plan.  He 
recounted  it  to  me  a  hundred  times.  But  in  truth 
he  never  believed  that  Paris  would  be  invaded.  He 
did  not  think   the  Prussians  could  do  it.      Now  we 


MGR.  GODDARD  AND  THE  EMPRESS  241 

can  say  nothing.     Tlie  time  will  come  when  we  shall 
be  able  to  lay  the  truth  before  the  world." 

I  observed  that  our  Holy  Father  was  much  to  be 
pitied. 

"  Alas  !  yes,"  said  the  Empress  ;  "  but  I  trust  he 
will  not  leave  Rome.  If  he  does,  he  is  lost.  It  is  an 
immense  matter  to  be  on  the  spot,  comme  7ious  savons. 
But  I  understand  that  much  influence  from  England 
is  brought  to  bear  upon  the  Pope  to  make  him  leave 
Rome  and  live  in  Malta  or  Ireland." 

"  No  doubt,"  I  replied,  "  Protestants — but  I  do  not 
mean  Protestants,  but  the  Tablet  party." 

"  Is  Dr.  Manning  popular  in  England  ?"  asked  the 
Empress. 

"  Not  at  all,"  I  replied  ;  "  neither  among  priests  nor 
the  laity." 

"  But  why  was  he  made  Archbishop  ?" 
"  Because    he    had   been    for    years    building    up 
influence  in  Rome  with  the  Pope  for  that  end.     He 
was  not  chosen  by  the  Chapter." 

"  Ah  !  really,"  remarked  Her  Majesty.  "  I  did  not 
know  that." 

"  His  influence  in  Rome  was  unbounded,"  I  observed. 
"  He  had  access  to  the  Pope  at  all  times  by  the  back- 
stairs." 

"  Ah  yes,"  said  Her  Majesty  ;  "  and  I  fear  that 
his  influence  was  not  exercised  for  good  at  all  times. 
It  was  a  great  pity  ;  but  surely  the  clergy  in  England 
are,  as  a  body,  more  liberal  than  that  ?" 

"  Undoubtedly,  but,  unfortunately,  that  clique  is  in 
power  in  England  at  the  present  moment.  They  claim 
to  represent  Catholic  opinion,  but  they  do  not." 

"And  poor  Pere  Hyacinthe,"  said  the  Empress — 
"  see   what    pride    leads    us    to  !      He    is  just   like 

IG 


•242  EMPRESS  EUG^NTE 

L:ininioii:iis.  Ih-  will  hcconu'  li/irr-pr/tsa/r,  or  ration- 
alistii".  raiivro  homnu> !  Tliis  next  year  ht^  was  to 
have  preat'lu'd  at  the  Tiiileries,  l)ut  neither  he  nor  we 
are  tliere  I  And,  indeed,  soon  after  this  arrangement 
was  spoken  of  came  his  affair  with  Rome,  and  I 
mentioned  to  the  Archbishop  of  Paris  that  I  did  not 
tiiink  it  would  be  prndent.  But  the  Archbishop 
rejtlied  that  Ilyacintlie  had  not  yet  entirely  ))roken 
[with  Kome],  and  that  j)erhaps  he  would  do  so  if 
any  change  were  made  ;  that  he  (the  Archbishop) 
was  sorry  he  had  spoken  to  him  ;  that  he  must  be 
prudent,  and  would  see.  Then  came  Fere  Hyacinthe's 
affair  with  the  Council,  and  all  was  ended." 

Then  we  went  back  ao:ain  to  the  war. 

"  Ah,  ma  pauvre  France  !"  exclaimed  the  Em- 
press. "  Quel  malheur  affreux  !  It  is  never  out  of 
my  mind,  neither  night  nor  day.  And  these  Prussians 
will  now  never  be  content  with  wdiat  they  would  have 
been.  Qu'ils  sent  raides  !  But  England's  turn  w^ill 
come  !  It  is  a  selfish  and  narrow  policy  not  to  inter- 
vene." 

We  then  spoke  of  Monsignor  de  Las  Cases,  an  old 
schoolfellow^  of  mine,  now  Bishop  of  Algiers.  (I 
received  a  letter  from  him  some  time  ago  in  Paris. 
He  is  quite  mad  about  the  Council  ;  and  when  I  read 
the  letter  I  exclaimed  :  "  II  est  done  fou  !"  But  it  is 
only  temporary.     He  will  calm  down.) 

The  Empress  then  promised  to  come  and  see  the 
schools.  She  thought,  she  said,  that  she  had  walked 
there  one  day,  but  did  not  know  the  name  of  the 
village,  or  she  would  have  gone  in.  She  was  so  tired 
w^hen  she  got  there,  she  added,  "  quelle  n'en  pouvait 
plus,"  and  did  not  know  how  to  get  back. 

Before  dejeuner  the  Prince  Imperial  came  and  in- 
troduced himself  most  affably.     He  is  a  nice-looking 


MGK.  GODDARD  AND  THE  EMPRESS  243 

small  boy,  with  his  mother's  beautiful  blue  eyes  and 
nez  distingue. 

The  Empress  is  still  beautiful,  but  very  worn,  with 
deep  wrinkles  on  her  forehead.  How  beautiful  she 
must  have  been,  with  her  dark  eyelashes  and  eye- 
brows, Irish  blue  eyes,  and  fair  hair  !  God  help  her  ! 
Her  kindness  and  affability,  and  her  suffering,  borne 
so  patiently  and  cheerfully,  would  touch  the  hardest 
heart,  and  have  made  me  her  slave.  I  would  die  to 
do  her  the  least  service. 

I  was  much  moved  by  a  little  incident  during  the 
breakfast.  They  were  talking  about  the  difference 
between  the  English  and  French  in  respecting  public 
property,  and  it  was  observed  that  the  French  had 
made  great  progress.  The  Empress  joined  in,  and, 
agreeing,  said  that  the  Avenue  [de  I'lmperatrice], 
which  was  formerly  named  after  her,  was  now  called 

Rue .     Here  a  gentleman  interrupted  her  with  a 

remark  which  I  did  not  catch,  and  the  Empress,  with 
wonderful  simplicitj^,  observed  :  "  Oh,  I  do  not  say 
that  the  street  has  not  gained  by  changing  its  name 
from  mine  !  Je  ne  m'en  plains  pas.  But  certainly 
it  was  admirably  respected  by  the  people,  excepting 
that  the  pietons  would  go  where  the  cavaliers  should 
have  gone,  and  vice  versa!^ 

We  spoke  also  about  the  cures  being  movable  or 
irremovable  ;  and  the  Empress  thought  it  was  a  little 
dur  that  we  should  be  nearly  all  removable  at  the 
caprice  of  our  Bishops. 

The  Empress  was  most  kind,  and  put  me  at  my 
ease  at  once.* 

■'■  From  the  late  prelate's  miscellaneous  papers,  which  were  all 
placed  at  the  author's  disposal  in  August,  1909,  by  Mr.  George 
Goddard,  one  of  the  Monsignor's  brothers. 

16—2 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  EMPRESS  AT  FARNBOROUGH  HILL 

Venkrable  trees,  thick  with  leafage,  embower  the 
great  house,  which  stands  far  back  from  the  highway 
loading  to  the  cam])  yonder.  Through  the  dip  at  the 
foot  of  the  lawm  rushes  now  and  again,  to  or  from 
Babylon,  a  shrieking  locomotive  ;  sometimes  the  roar 
of  cannon  reverberates  through  the  quiet,  moss-grown 
lanes  and  the  glorious  woods.  Save  for  those  incon- 
gruous sounds,  the  silence  is  only  broken  by  the 
familiar  noises  of  country  life.  A  delightful  bit  of 
that  Old  Eno-land  of  which  we  are  all  so  fond — a 
place  for  meditation,  with  only  the  birds  chattering 
in  the  coppice,  and  on  the  velvety  lawns,  for  company. 
A  tinge  of  mysticism,  an  agreeable  flavour  of 
medievalism,  are  afforded  by  glimpses  of  the  Bene- 
dictine Monks,  who  worship  in  the  church  among 
the  fir-trees  and  within  the  abbey  hard  by.  The 
"  religious  "  who  have  found  sanctuary  in  this  quiet 
nook  are  not  of  our  country,  but  of  the  great  nation 
whose  pride  was  so  humbled  in  the  terrible  year. 
Expatriated  by  the  "  decrees "  of  their  own  Parlia- 
ment, even  as  all  the  "  congregations "  have  since 
been  dispossessed  of  their  property,  and  Catholicism 
humiliated  to  tlie  dust  by  the  liberty  and  equality 
loving  Republic,  they  owe  their  abbatial  home  and 
their  church  to  the  bounty  of  the  lady  who  is  herself 

244 


THE  EMPRESS  AT  FARNBOROUGH  HILL  245 

an  exile,  and  who  broods  over  her  griefs  and  her 
sorrows,  and  mourns  the  husband  and  the  son  who 
repose  in  the  mausoleum  watched  over  by  the  Bene- 
dictines. Pity  her,  for  the  fourth  decade  of  her  exile 
has  almost  run  its  course,  and  the  summer  brings 
with  it  the  most  tragic  and  melancholy  thoughts  that 
the  human  mind  can  conceive.  As  she  sits  in  her 
solitude  in  the  great  tree-embowered  mansion,  Fate 
unrolls  for  her  an  endless  panorama  which  she  would 
willingly  blot  out  from  her  mental  vision  ;  but  it  is 
hers  to  endure. 

"  I  cannot  even  die,"  she  moaned,  when  they  told 
her  of  her  son's  heroic  end  ;  "  and  God,  in  His  infinite 
mercy,  will  give  me  a  hundred  years  of  life  !" 

When,  in  1880,  it  was  announced  that  the  Empress 
Eugenie  was  about  to  leave  Camden  Place,  Chisle- 
hurst,  for  Farnborough  Hill,  speculation  was  rife  as 
to  the  cause  which  had  led  her  Imperial  Majesty  to 
take  such  an  unexpected  step.  I  may  explain  that 
the  Empress  would  never  have  left  Chislehurst  had 
she  not  been  thwarted  in  her  endeavour  to  obtain  the 
land  at  the  back  of  the  Catholic  church  for  the 
purpose  of  building  thereon  a  mausoleum  wherein  to 
enshrine  her  illustrious  dead.  The  price  she  offered 
for  the  property  was  £80,000.  The  land  l^elonged 
to  a  wealthy  resident — a  merchant  named  Edlmann, 
of  Hawkswood,  Chislehurst,  and  New  Broad  Street, 
London.  He  was  a  strong  Protestant,  and  by  his 
will  directed  that  no  part  of  his  "  Cooper's  "  estate  at 
Chislehurst,  which  he  devised  in  trust  for  sale,  should 
be  disposed  of  for  the  purpose  of  enlarging  St.  Mary's 
Catholic  Church,  or  for  the  use  of  any  other  Roman 
Catholic  church,  chapel,  or  institution.  When  the 
Empress   approached    Mr.  Edlmann  with    a    view   to 


Huri'hasinn-  tlu*  laiul  (it  is  a  beautiful  meadow,  in  a 
valK'v,  slt)j)inu  iiciitly  t'roni  tlu'  Catholic  cliurcli),  lie 
rt't'iisod  to  enter  into  ;ins  nesi;otiations  for  tlie  sale  of 
tlie  projiiTt  \  ;  and  this  linallv  inchict'd  the  l"-nij)ress, 
who  was  htiit  upon  ere<'tin<i'  a  mausoleum  sonu'where 
or  other,  to  ijuil  ( Miislehurst.  l''arnl>oi-oui;h  Hill 
liapi)eiieil  to  he  in  the  market  at  the  moment,  antl 
she  secured  it. 

Anil  now  for  the  most  curious  |)art  of  the  story. 
It  was  found  that  Mr.  Edlmann,  who  in  his  lifetime 
would  not  listen  to  the  luiipress's  desire  to  purchase 
the  tield  in  the  rear  of  St.  Mary's  Church,  left  special 
directions  in  his  will  authorizing  the  trustees  to 
"  renew "  his  offer  to  give  to  the  Empress  Eugenie 
about  a  thousand  square  yards  of  land  whereon  to 
build  a  mausoleum  for  the  imperial  family  !  Inas- 
uuich  as  the  Empress  had  done  everything  in  her 
power  to  buy  the  land  in  question,  she  must  have 
been  somewhat  surprised  at  reading  that  part  of  the 
testator's  will  which  I  have  quoted.  If  the  offer  of 
the  land  was  ever  made,  it  must  have  been  subsequent 
to  the  Empress's  resolve  to  shake  the  dust  of  Chisle- 
hurst  from  off  her  imperial  feet  ;  for  she  would  most 
gladly  have  availed  herself  of  the  opportunity  to  get 
possession  of  the  tield  at  or  about  the  time  of  the  death 
of  the  Prince  Imperial. 

The  house,  or  mansion,  which  the  Empress  ac- 
quired in  1880,  and  to  which  she  removed  from 
Chislehurst  on  Se])tember  30,  1881,  is  a  sub- 
stantial and  an  admirable  example  of  Early  English 
architecture,  built,  under  the  superintendence  of  an 
eminent  architect,  by  the  late  Mr.  Longman,  of  pub- 
lishing fame.  The  lower  part  is  of  red  brick,  w^ith 
dressings  and  mullioned  windows  of  stone  ;  the  upper 


THE  EMPRESS  AT  FARNBOROUGH  HILL  247 

part  is  also  of  brick,  "  rendered  over  "  in  cement,  and 
picturesquely  relieved  by  panels  in  teak.  Two  car- 
riage-drives, with  corresponding  lodge-entrances,  lead 
to  a  handsome  portico  paved  with  tiles,  through  wliicli 
you  pass  to  the  entrance  hall,  17  feet  in  height  and 
about  24  feet  in  length,  hy  22  feet  in  width.  Beyond, 
up  a  flight  of  steps,  is  a  stately  inner  hall,  or  corridor, 
66  by  15  feet.  Here  is  the  principal  staircase,  leading 
to  a  magnificent  suite  of  reception-rooms,  ample  testi- 
mony to  the  lavish  and  artistic  taste  of  the  designer 
and  architect. 

The  drawing-room,  32  by  22  feet,  is  a  superb  piece, 
and  the  outlook,  through  its  bay  and  triangular 
windows,  on  the  lawn  and  grounds,  with  the  groups 
of  fine  trees  dotted  about  here  and  there,  is  charming. 
Opening  out  of  this  salon  is  a  smaller  and  more  cosy 
one.  The  library  is  nearly  25  feet  square — a  noble 
oriel- windowed  chamber,  harmonizing  with  the  ideas 
of  modern  refinement.  There  are  two  salles  a  mange)'; 
one  known  as  the  "  Oak-Room."  Then  there  is  the 
"  Gentlemen's  Room,"  also  entered  from  the  inner  hall. 
Such  is  the  main  floor. 

You  reach  the  first-floor  through  a  long  corridor, 
over  the  inner  hall,  leading  to  the  eight  principal 
bedrooms  and  two  dressing-rooms.  In  the  wing 
approached  by  a  second  corridor  are  six  secondary 
bedrooms  and  a  staircase  giving  access  to  the  clock- 
tower.  On  the  second-floor  are  eight  additional 
secondary  and  servants'  bedrooms,  with  bathrooms  on 
each  floor.  The  domestic  offices  are  completely  shut 
off  from  the  inner  hall.  There  remain  to  be  noted 
the  large  kitchen,  scullery,  housekeeper's  room, 
servants'  hall,  pantries,  dairy,  storerooms,  extensive 
ranges  of  cellars,  with  furnace  and  stockroom  for  the 


248  EMPl^ESS  EUGENIE 

heatinjx  apparatus  and  hatliroonis.  A  more  complete 
ilwcllinu-  the  I'jhju'css  could  not  liavo  found  ;  even 
tlu»  uas  Ix'iiiii-  niade  on  (lie  estate,  and  the  water 
sn])pli('d  1)\  steani-|)o\ver  an»l  livdrants  hotli  inside 
and  outside  the  liouse,  in  case  of  tire. 

From  tlie  terrace  whicli  inns  tlie  whole  lenuth  of 
the  liouse,  there  is  a  wondrous  })ieture  of  woodland 
ami  meadow.  Surrounding  the  mansion  are  pleasure- 
grounds,  some  ()  aeres  of  velvety  lawn  and  emerald 
turf,  flower-beds,  terrace  walks,  shrul^heries,  lawn- 
tennis  and  croquet  grounds,  and  a  cinder  cycle-track 
3,000  yards  long,  all  in  good  taste  and  skilfully 
planned.  The  park  alone  covers  68  acres  ;  there  are 
serpentine  walks  and  drives  through  the  woodlands  ; 
the  timber  is  remarkably  fine,  and  besides  the  ordinary 
forest  trees  there  are  some  examples  of  very  rare 
coniferae.  There  are  wooded  islands  on  the  ornamental 
lakes,  a  boat-house,  a  Hshing  cottage,  or  summer- 
house,  boasting  a  fireplace  ;  a  kitchen-garden  covering 
3  acres,  greenhouses,  vineries,  with  peach,  camellia, 
melon,  and  cucumber  houses  ;  stables,  loose-boxes, 
harness-room,  a  cottage  for  the  coachman,  and  bed- 
rooms for  the  grooms.  On  the  estate,  comprising  in 
all  some  300  acres,  are  several  cottages,  including  one 
for  the  use  of  the  bailiff*,  a  very  extensive  range  of 
farm  buildings,  a  gasometer,  and  a  boiler-house. 
And  there  is  a  farm.  Such  is  the  material  aspect  of 
Farnborough  Hill,  the  second  English  home  of  the 
Empress  Eugf^nie,  a  striking  contrast  in  every  way  to 
that  gloomy  mansion  on  Chislehurst  Common,  with 
its  tragic  and  bitter  memories. 

The  Empress,  in  her  time,  has  been  almost  as  much 
a  lover  of  life  in  the  open  as  was  her  illustrious  friend 
Queen  Victoria.     Her  favourite  spot  is  amongst  the 


THE  EMPRESS  AT  FARNBOROUGH  HILL  249 

trees  on  the  western  side  of  the  main  road,  where 
there  are  shady  walks  which  are  delightfully  cool  even 
under  the  fiercest  sun. 

The  visitor  to  the  Empress's  Hampshire  home  sees 
at  the  principal  entrance  Winterhalter's  picture, 
portraying  the  imperial  lady  in  the  midst  of  a  party 
of  guests  at  the  Tuileries.  Many  portraits  of  the 
Bonapartes  diversify  the  rooms  in  the  rez  de  chaussee^ 
where  also  is  the  Empress's  study,  furnished  in  a 
manner  appropriate  to  the  surroundings.  The  library 
is  well  stocked  with  modern  English  works,  for  Her 
Majesty  is  a  great  reader  and  admirer  of  our  literature, 
and  speaks  and  writes  English  with  facility,  although 
her  own  correspondence  is  almost  invariably  in  French. 
A  feature — many  who  have  been  privileged  to  explore 
the  recesses  of  the  mansion  consider  it  the  dominant 
feature — of  Farnborough  Hill  is  a  gallery  running  the 
whole  length  of  the  house.  Here  the  walls  are  covered 
with  Gobelins  tapestry  ;  here,  too,  are  the  cases  of 
Sevres  which  once  belonged  to  Napoleon  L,  and  in  a 
room  called  the  "  Salle  de  Fer "  are  innumerable 
Napoleonic  relics,  forming  a  family  museum,  every 
object  in  which  is  of  historical  value.  The  "  Salle  de 
Repos  "  has  large  bay-windows  looking  north  and  west. 
You  come  to  a  conservatory,  adorned  by  a  statue  of 
the  Prince  Imperial,  with  his  favourite  dog,  the  work 
of  the  celebrated  Carpeaux,  who  gained  his  first  laurels 
when  the  Second  Empire  was  in  its  lustre,  and  whose 
later  achievements  grace  the  Grand  Opera  House  at 
Paris.  At  the  base  of  this  statue  of  the  "  little 
Prince "  are  grasses,  gathered  by  the  Empress  in 
South  Africa  when  she  made  her  sad  pilgrimage  to 
Zululand  under  the  escort  of  Sir  Evelyn  Wood.  Yes, 
this  withered  herbage  was  plucked  by  the   Empress 


-50  EMFUESIS  KAJCExNlE 

I'runi  till'  soil  at  the  spot  wlierc  licr  son  luct  his  tragic 
t'ato  on  .luiu"  1,  IS71>,  Irss  tlian  srvon  yi'ars  alter  tlio 
ilcatli  t)t'  his  iatluT.  The  statiio  of  the  Triiu'c  is 
iinuu'iliati'lN  opposite  the  entrance  to  the  Knipress's 
sittinn-rooni,  in  \siiicli  she  j»assi's  most  ol"  iiei'  time 
when  she  is  ut  Farnl)oroui;h.  In  what  is  known  as 
the  "  l*rince's  Kot)ni  "  is  stored  evervtliinij;  whicli  lie 
left  ;  here,  too,  until  its  removal  to  the  Carnavalet 
Museum,  was  to  be  seen  the  silver  cradle  given  by  the 
city  of  Paris  on  the  birth  of  the  Prince.  David's 
great  }ticture  of  "  Na})oleon  crossing  the  Alj)s  "  is  a 
conspicuous  object  on  the  grand  staircase. 

The  museum,  which  adjoins  the  staliles,  contains  an 
extraordinarily  diverse  collection  of  Napoleonic  relics. 
Here  are  the  carriages  in  whicli  the  Emperor  and 
Em])ress  rode  to  Notre  Dame  on  their  marriage-day — 
the  harness  as  well ;  and  the  state  coach  used  by 
Napoleon  III.  on  the  day  he  opened  the  first  Corps 
Legislatif  and  Senate  under  his  regime.  There  are 
the  little  carriage — a  brougham — in  which  the  Prince 
Imperial  took  his  airings  in  his  early  childhood  ;  the 
Bath-chair  given  by  Queen  Victoria  to  the  Empress 
when  she  tirst  visited  our  beloved  Sovereign  at 
Windsor  Castle  ;  a  Russian  sledge,  the  gift  of  some 
friends  of  the  Empress  ;  an  ox-car  presented  to 
Napoleon  III.  by  some  Spanish  admirers ;  a  china 
hand-basin  on  a  wooden  stand,  used  by  Napoleon  I.  ; 
a  bronze  statue  of  Napoleon  III.,  by  Klesinger  ;  and 
the  late  Emperor's  state  harness,  in  gilt  mounts. 
What  Napoleon  I.  was  like  when  he  was  a  youth, 
studying  at  the  military  school  at  Brienne,  is  revealed 
by  the  statuary  on  the  terraces. 

During  its  nearly  thirty  years'  occupancy  by  the 
Empress    Eugenie,   Farnborough    Hill   has    not   been 


THE  EMPRESS  AT  FARNBOROUGH  HILL  251 

particularly  accessible  to  the  publicist.  After  the 
death  of  her  son,  the  imperial  lady  desired  more  than 
ever  to  live  in  sorrowful  seclusion,  bevond  the  ran^e 
of  cameras  and  writers  of  "  picturesque  "  articles.  It 
was  as  if  a  notice-board  had  been  displayed  with  the 
notification,  "  The  Press  not  admitted."  There  is  a 
story  of  an  American  journalist  who,  long  after  the 
Empress  had  removed  from  Camden  Place  to  Farn- 
borough,  made  his  way  to  Chislehurst,  bent  upon 
obtaining  an  "  interview "  which  should  contain  the 
illustrious  lady's  "  story  "  in  refutation  of  criticisms 
of  her  conduct  before  and  after  the  war,  and  of  his 
returning  to  London,  after  a  melancholy  waste  of 
time,  a  sadder  and,  in  one  respect,  a  wiser  man. 

But  a  favoured  guest,  in  the  person  of  M.  Lucien 
Alphonse  Daudet,  did  not,  probably,  incur  the  dis- 
pleasure of  his  imperial  hostess  for  the  "  indiscretion  " 
which  he  perpetrated  early  in  1908.  So  full  of 
charm,  and  of  that  delightful  piquancy  of  which  his 
father,  the  creator  of  Jack  and  Tartarin,  was  a  master, 
is  M.  Lucien  Daudet's  appreciation  of  the  Empress 
and  her  surroundings,  that  I  deem  it  nothing  short  of 
a  duty  to  rescue  from  oblivion  a  considerable  portion 
of  this  brilliant  study  : 

" '  The  Empress  Eugenie  is  expected  to  arrive  in 
Paris  shortly.'  This  news,  periodically  reproduced 
by  the  papers,  recalls  to  some  a  figure  almost  unreal, 
which  has  voluntarily  entered  into  the  past ;  to  others, 
on  the  contrary,  it  speaks  of  a  dear  and  incomparable 
reality,  the  presence  of  one  who,  without  any  other 
designation,  is,  and  will  always  be,  'the  Empress.' 

I  do  not  wish  to  present  here  a  ph()togra])li,  although 
there  would  be  plenty  to  say  about  this  woman — tall, 
with  pure  lineaments,  at  once  classical  and  charac- 
teristic— whom    one     sees    pass    sometimes    in    her 


252  KMPKI>:SS  EUOI^.NIK 

*  (.'liH'trii','  or  wlioni,  if  tlic  dav  hv  Hiu',  \\v  nmy  im  ot 
walking  <niitklv  in  tlit'  alleys  of  tlic  Wois^  (liii'civnt 
-  ah.  how  (lilVtriiit  ! — from  i\\r  'old  ladv,  hoiit  1)V 
auc,  K'aniiiii on  Ikt  sticd;,'  whom  tlic  i('|tort(M's — always 
'  well   informed  '— describe  with  so   mneh    inaccuracv. 

No,  1  only  wish  to  reveal  a  little  (d' that  '  nnknown' 
whi(di  enfolds  all  Sovoreiuns,  hut  more  than  others 
the  Knii)ress  Kiiuvnie  ;  and  for  these  reasons — that 
she  has  been  a  vietini  of  one  of  the  most  formidable 
historical  injustices,  and  that  systematically  she 
wishes  her  name  to  be  envelo])ed  by  silence. 

The  Empress  is  a  Spaniard — of  a  country  whose 
formation  was  slow  and  sad  ;  of  a  country  which 
underw^ent  a  barbarous  invasion,  and  met  it  with  an 
obstinate  tenacity  bred  of  its  race  and  its  blood  ; 
differinii'  in  this  from  France,  whose  territory  was 
formed  naturally  bv  its  marriages  and  its  contracts 
rather  than  by  its  treaties :  Brittany,  Dauphiny, 
Burgundy.  She  saw  the  light  of  day  at  Granada, 
under  a  sky  vibrating  with  light,  in  a  town  where 
every  stone,  venerable  and  gilded,  spoke  of  art  and 
of  splendid  warfare.  In  her  veins  runs  the  blood, 
on  her  father's  side,  of  one  of  the  oldest  houses  in 
Europe,  that  san^  bleu  of  the  Guzmans,  whose  mere 
name  evokes  legendary  heroisms  and  the  noblest 
passions. 

From  her  mother,  of  Scottish  origin,  she  inherits 
a  melancholy  which  lightened  that  which  would  have 
been  too  2:reat  a  burden  to  be  borne  bv  a  woman  in  her 
heavy  heritage — that  light  veil  w'hich,  in  the  glorious 
days  of  autumn,  chastens  the  warm  sun  of  Spain, 
leaving  it  as  brilliant,  but  less  fierce.  All  through 
her  life  the  Empress  has  felt  the  effects  of  this  double 
origin,  in  which  mingle  Cervantes  and  folk-lore,  the 
burnino;  sierra  and  the  lake  of  o-reen  Avaters. 
Chivalrous  to  temerity,  wilful  and  proud,  even  to 
self-renunciation,  generous  to  a  fault,  possessing  in 
the  highest  degree  what  the  English  call  '  self- 
control  ' — that  control  over  herself  which  permits 
her    still    to    revisit   that    Paris    where    she    reigned 


THE  EMPEESS  AT  FAKNBOROUGH  HILL  253 

supreme,  and  to  live  there  sometimes  and  to  love  it 
still — she  allies  all  these  intrepid  qualities  to  a 
Northern  sensitiveness,  lacking  expansion,  and  all 
the  more  dolorous  that  it  scarcely  manifests  itself  ; 
that  inner  sensitiveness  which,  in  such  a  nature, 
makes  what  in  chemistry  is  called  a  precipitate  to 
reactions  always  surprising  and  sometimes  discon- 
certing, even  inexplicable  to  those  who  do  not  under- 
stand it. 

Add  to  this  an  extreme  love  of  independence  in 
everything,  for  herself  and  for  all  who  surround  her  ; 
an  uprightness  which  exacts  the  same  from  others  ; 
an  imagination  always  alert,  and  a  great  taste  for 
precision — such,  I  believe,  are  the  dominant  charac- 
teristics of  the  Empress.  They  resemble  a  perpetual 
balance,  an  interior  and  instinctive  combat,  the 
equilibrium  of  which  is  an  exceptional  charm. 

How  many  walks  I  recall  in  the  alleys  of  the  park 
at  Farnborough  Hill  in  the  evenings  of  glorious  days  ; 
or  in  winter,  when  the  great  trees  were  powdered 
with  frosty  rime,  giving  to  the  English  landscape  the 
semblance  of  some  phantom  picture  ;  or  in  the  early 
morning,  in  the  second  park,  which  has  been  christened 
Compiegne,  planted  with  rhododendrons  and  young 
pine-trees  !  The  black  dogs  gambol  round  us,  now 
racing  off  like  mad  things,  then  returning  at  the  call 
of  their  mistress.  The  Empress's  firm  voice  mounts 
higher  and  higher  in  the  pure,  invigorating  air,  as, 
leaning  on  her  cane,  with  which  she  taps  the  sandy 
paths,  she  gazes  around,  examining  the  works  which 
are  in  progress,  and  drinking  in  the  freshness  of  the 
morning  which  she  loves.  Her  features  are  more 
than  usually  animated  ;  Compiegne  has  revived 
memories  of  the  past. 

M.  Pietri  is  there,  with  his  philosophic  smile. 
Comte  Primoli  takes  a  snapshot  of  a  beautiful  view, 
despite  the  warning  of  the  Empress,  while  Comte 
Clary  narrates  some  story  of  his  wanderings  in  dis- 
tant countries.  Here  are  represented  three  genera- 
tions of  devotion,  hdelity,  and  adoration.     How  many 


254  F.MPrvESS  EUGENIE 

walks  T  romomhor  nlso  at  Cap  Martin  amongst  the 
stnnvlnMTv  flowers  and  the  anemones  in  the  i::arden 
of  Villa  Cvrnos  I  In  the  talk  which  rip])les  on  here 
at  Farnhon)uu:h  llill  there  is  not  a  hanal  word — not 
one  of  those  faeile  clicln's  which  hel))  to  snstain 
a  conversation  at  Conrt.  Always,  at  the  Empress's 
home,  there  are  oriu;inal,  interesting  talks.  Seldom 
are  jiolitical  matters  tonched  npon,  for  the  Empress 
Inis  conijiletely  dissociated  herself  from  snch  subjects. 
She  could  tind  plenty  to  say  if  she  chose,  but  she 
prefers  to  remain  silent.  With  what  w^isdom,  with 
what  an  enlightened  judgment,  what  senniity,  she 
talks  !  It  is  the  privilege  of  great  souls  to  be  clarified 
by  suffering,  whether  physical  or  moral.  To  this 
woman  who,  more  than  any  other,  has  been  struck 
by  the  death  of  her  husband  and  her  son,  and  by  the 
loss  of  a  throne,  is  reserved  the  glory  of  giving  the 
noblest  example,  and  of  acquiring  from  her  nameless 
misfortunes  an  extreme  moderation  in  all  things,  a 
total  io;norance  of  hatred.  It  is  a  mixture  of  wisdom 
and  indifference,  something  like  a  Nirvana  of  the  soul, 
in  which  there  gleams,  like  a  lighthouse,  a  love  of 
iustice,  all  the  more  striking;  because  she  has  been 
made  familiar  with  injustice.  If  it  w^ere  not  absurd, 
it  would  be  laughable  to  hear  what  people  tell  us 
of  the  Empress's  fanaticism — that  famous  Spanish 
fanaticism.  It  always  reminds  me  of  those  little 
books  which  are  sold  on  the  quays  in  Paris — '  The 
Mysteries  of  the  Inquisition,'  and  others.  To  quote 
a  charming  simile,  often  employed  by  the  Empress, 
each  book  has  its  label,  like  that  on  a  chemist's 
bottle.  Once  the  label  has  been  stuck  on,  w^ho  will 
take  the  trouble  to  rub  it  off  and  replace  it  by  a  more 
appropriate  one  ? 

Sometimes  some  timid  or  stupid  person  will  let 
slip  a  vi(jlent  phrase  or  one  devoid  of  impartiality, 
only  to  be  checked  by  the  Empress  with  a  sharp 
'•  What  do  you  know  about  it  ?"  accompanied  by  a 
look  like  the  flash  of  a  sword  ;  and  often  one  is 
surprised  to  hear  a  phrase,  uttered  as  if  by  chance, 


THE  EMPRESS  AT  FARNBOROUGH  HILL  255 

expectant  o£  gaining  a  smile,  received  in  dead  silence. 
The  Empress  lias  heard  it,  but  will  not  answer  ;  the 
ignorance  of  the  imprudent  person  carries  its  excuse 
with  it,  for  at  Farn borough  Hill  indulgence  is  de 
regle^  and  the  proverb  Peclie  avoue  est  pardonne  reigns 
paramount. 

But  there  is  no  pity  for  cowards,  and  with  what 
a  voice  the  Empress  pronounces  that  word  "  Lache  !" 
With  what  disdain  she  speaks  of  certain  people  and 
certain  things  which  they  have  done  !  Those  who 
attack,  knowing  that  they  are  safe  from  a  rejoinder  ; 
those  who  make  the  defenceless  suffer  ;  those  who 
take  advantage  of  their  immunity  from  retort  ;  those 
in  particular  who  evade  their  responsibilities,  throw- 
ing them  upon  others  ;  those  who  share  the  hours  of 
joy,  and  become  renegades  in  time  of  trouble — these 
only  are  the  Empress's  enemies.  To  deserve  her 
congratulation  or  to  incur  her  blame  is  the  great 
preoccupation  of  those  surrounding  her.  A  word  in 
praise  of  a  good  deed  is  their  most  cherished  reward. 
There  is  no  more  cruel  punishment  than  a  mute 
reproach,  to  be  read  in  her  look,  in  the  expression 
of  her  face.  Similarly,  when  one  is  troubled,  with 
what  impatience  one  awaits  the  moment  to  be  alone 
with  the  Empress,  to  be  seated  near  her  in  her  large 
study,  where  that  white  statue  of  a  child,  full  of 
valour  and  grace,  dominates  all  else  !  Rapidly  the 
Empress  unwinds  the  tangled  skein  of  trouble,  and 
will  say,  in  that  sweet,  consoling  voice,  '  Do  not  turn 
life  into  a  tragedy  !'  She  only  can  find  the  word 
which  will  heal  the  wound,  because  she  alone  can 
define  it.  One  evening,  to  someone  who  believed  her- 
self to  be  terribly  unhappy,  and  who  had  come  to 
confess  to  her,  the  Empress  said  :  '  No,  you  do  not 
suffer  at  heart.  You  think  so  ;  but  it  is  your  pride 
which  is  wounded  at  the  moment.  Just  consider. 
Is  it  not  so  ?'  And  it  was  true,  and  when  she  left  the 
room  the  unhappy  person  was  cured. 

One  of  the  Empress's  characteristics  is  her  loathing 
of  cabotmage^   of    shamming,  of    the  larmes  facUes. 


•256  EMPRESS  EUGENIE 

Tills  naturally  makes  people  say  she  is  hard-hearted. 
I  always  admire  those  who  helieve  they  have  the 
right  to  open  the  mysterious  sluices  of  tears.  Real 
LCrief  does  not  dra])e  itself  in  Eniilish  crape.  Real 
sorrow  knows  how  to  smile,  for  it  has  time  before  it, 
and  knows  only  too  well  the  true  value  of  tears, 
riiose  who  have  the  honour  of  aj)])r()aching  the 
Kmpress  know  that  there  are  times  when  pent-up 
griefs  overflow,  when  the  clear  voice  breaks,  when 
the  eyes  become  dim.  They  know  and  they  dread 
that  time,  and  are  full  of  sacred  terror.  Ah,  if  all 
the  great  and  all  the  little  who  have  suffered  dared 
to  tell  all  they  owe  to  the  goodness  of  the  Empress ! 
Her  active,  silent,  anonymous  goodness — a  goodness 
which  dreads  to  be  thanked,  which  hardly  believes  in 
gratitude — a  goodness  unexpected  and  unhoped  for, 
and  which  makes  one  sometimes  think  of  the  words 
of  the  Evangelist :  '  I  will  come  like  a  thief  in  the 
nisflit !' 

If  the  Empress  has  had  her  moments  of  fanaticism, 
it  is  because  she  has  known  how  to  be  as  young  as  the 
youngest,  eager  to  know  and  to  understand  every- 
thing. On  her  table  you  may  see  one  of  Huysmans' 
books  alongside  a  new  medical  review ;  a  catalogue  of 
automobiles  is  half  concealed  by  the  last  volume  of 
Lenotres ;  there  is  an  unfolded  map  showing  the 
stages  of  her  voyage  to  Ceylon.  And  that  which 
is  so  rare  and  so  attractive  with  the  Empress  is  that 
this  admixture  of  reality  and  poetry  does  not  make  her 
a  dame  de  la  mei\  an  unreal  phantom,  but  a  traveller  at 
once  nostalgic  and  resolute,  captivated  by  the  flow  of 
the  waves  and  the  harmony  of  the  sky — captivated 
also  by  life,  by  the  charm  of  a  new  country  and  its 
precise  features  of  interest.  That  is  the  charac- 
teristic of  a  mind  always  young — the  characteristic 
also,  alas  !  of  a  solitary  heart  which  seeks  in  vain 
under  unknown  skies  forgetfulness  of  the  deserted 
hearth,  of  the  glorious  hive  from  which  the  bees 
have  flown.  And  even  as  she  knows  how  to  mingle 
the  half-light  of  melancholy  with  the  deeds  of  high 


THE  EMPRESS  AT  FARNBOROUGH  HILL  257 

noon,  so  she  pleases  herself,  and  excels,  in  regarding 
the  past  through  the  light  of  the  present.  How 
passionately  she  speaks  of  a  former  time  of  which 
we  are  ignorant !  Of  the  sudden  appearance  of  the 
great  Stendhal,  of  Merimee,  of  Rachel  !  Of  the 
electric  salon ^  illuminated  by  geniuses,  of  Mme.  de 
Girardin  !  One  loses  count  of  time  and  space ;  the 
minutes  fly ;  then  brusquely  the  Empress  glances  at 
the  clock,  utters  a  rather  scandalized  '  Oh  !'  at  the 
lateness  of  the  hour,  rises,  and  with  that  celebrated, 
incomparable  circular  salute  which  each  takes  to 
oneself,  and  which  unites  us  all  to  her  in  such  re- 
spectful admiration,  she  wishes  all  her  guests  good- 
night ;  and  we  follow  with  our  gaze  the  long  trail  of 
her  black  robe,  and  the  wake  of  violet  and  bent  grass, 
leaving  us,  until  to-morrow,  lonely  and  abandoned." 

In  the  earlier  years  of  her  residence  at  Farn- 
borough  Hill,  the  Empress  often  drove  to  Aldershot, 
where  she  was  warmly  welcomed  by  the  officers, 
some  of  whom,  especially  those  who  were  stationed 
at  the  camp  in  the  early  eighties,  had  enjoyed  the 
acquaintance  of  the  Prince  Imperial  both  at  Woolwich 
and  at  Chislehurst.  It  was  on  a  May  day  in  1883, 
when  she  was  returning  from  a  visit  to  the  North 
Camp,  that  Her  Majesty  had  a  narrow  escape  from 
what  threatened  to  be  a  serious  accident.  Taking 
fright,  one  of  the  horses  began  to  plunge ;  the  other 
became  restive,  and  got  one  of  its  hind-legs  over  the 
pole.  Some  passers-by  went  to  the  rescue,  extricated 
the  Empress  from  her  somewhat  dangerous  position, 
and  Her  Majesty  walked  home  accompanied  by  her 
attendants. 

Many  to  whom  the  Empress  was  only  a  name 
caught  glimpses  of  her  in  London  in  1908.  One 
Sunday  evening  (June  15)  she  arrived  from  Paris  at 

17 


258  EMPUKSS  EUGENIE 

till'  (u'Dsvt'iior  lloli'l,  aiul  rcuKiiiu'd  until  tlic  next 
(lav,  wluMi  she  left  for  Kanihoroui;!!  Hill.  Her 
^rajostv  aj)i)i'ar(.'il  to  be  in  imicli  better  liealtb  than 
wlun,  in  the  previous  Deeeniber,  she  luncbed  with 
the  Kiliu-  and  (^neen — a  rare  event — at  Buckingham 
Talaei',  on  the  eve  oi"  her  departure  for  Ceylon. 
(Readers  of  the  Court  (^ireular  did  not  fail  to  note  that 
she  was  described  on  that  occasion  as  "  Her  Imperial 
Ma  jest V  the  Empress  Eugenie,"  and  to  remember  that 
the  three  lirst  words  never  appeared  in  our  official 
Court  record,  after  1870,  in  Queen  Victoria's  reign.) 
The  Empress  was  again  seen  at  the  Grosvenor  for 
a  few  days  at  the  end  of  July  in  the  same  year.  She 
returned  to  Farnborough  on  August  1,  and  was  on 
her  yacht  in  the  Solent  for  the  Cowes  week.  She 
had  intended  to  rent  "  Egypt "  (Lady  Cardigan's  sum- 
mer residence  for  so  many  years),  but  the  negotia- 
tions fell  through.  The  Empress  was  again  a  prom- 
inent figure  at  the  yachting  carnival  in  1909,  and 
from  the  deck  of  the  Thistle  she  watched  the  gay 
scenes  which  were  daily  enacted  on  the  Tsar's  yacht. 

Mr.  Cody's  experiments  in  aviation  at  Aldershot  in 
the  summer  of  1909  drew  to  the  flying  -  ground, 
amongst  many  other  spectators,  the  Empress  Eugenie, 
w^ho  was  not  content  until  she  had  heard  from  the 
aviator's  own  lips  all  the  secrets  and  possibilities  of 
the  aerial  machine. 

As  he  descended  from  his  aerial  excursion  in  the 
gathering  twilight,  Mr.  Cody  was  approached  by 
Lieutenant-General  Smith-Dorrien,  who  imparted  the 
gratifying  intimation  that  an  illustrious  personage 
who  had  been  an  admiring  witness  of  the  successful 
flight  desired  to  make  the  distinguished  aeroplanist's 
acquaintance.      "  Your    Majesty,"    said    the    gallant 


H.I.M.    THE   EMPRESS   EUOKiNIE   AT    ALDKItSIIOT,    lit09. 


On  tlie  liglit  ol'  tlie  ]<>ni[>i'ess  arc  Lieul.-finioral  Sir  II.  1,.  Siiiilli- 1  )()rii('ii,  K.C.15. 
and  Ml'.  Cody,  tlir  aviator. 


THE  EMPRESS  AT  FARNBOROUGH  HILL  259 

Geneial,  "  allow  me  to  present  Mr.  Cody  ;"  and  the 
delighted  scientist  received  the  warm  congratulations 
of  the  Empress  Eugenie,  who,  in  her  own  gracefully 
fascinating  fashion,  told  Mr.  Cody  of  the  intense 
interest  with  which  she  had  watched  his  gyrations. 
Her  Imperial  Majesty  speaks  the  most  perfect  English, 
and  it  was  with  undisguised  pleasure  that  the  aviator 
heard  from  her  own  lips  that  she  had  witnessed  "  a 
wonderful  sight."  Had  Mr.  Cod}'^  and  his  machine 
been  in  existence  when  the  Empress  was  still 
Mile,  de  Montijo  he  would  assuredly  have  had  for 
a  passenger  the  beautiful  woman  who  was  destined  to 
pass  eighteen  years  of  her  eventful  life  on  the  imperial 
throne  of  France —  destined,  moreover,  to  see  the 
whole  fabric  of  the  Second  Empire,  as  Mr.  Gladstone 
was  wont  to  say  of  less  important  matters,  "  smashed 
and  pulverized,"  and  her  consort,  herself,  and  their 
ill-fated  son,  exiles.  The  Empress  may  still  live  to 
hear  "  the  heavens  fill  with  shouting,"  and  to  see  them 

rain 

"...  a  ghastly  dew 
From  the  nations'  airy  navies  grappling  in  the  central  blue." 

Let  us  hope,  however,  that  this  appalling  spectacle 
will  be  spared  her. 

Note. — M.  Lucien  Alphonse  Daudet's  charming  "appreciation" 
of  the  Empress  Eugenie  is  given  here  by  the  kind  permission  of 
M.  Gaston  Calmette,  Editor  of  the  Figaro,  in  which  it  originally 
appeared  in  1908. 


17—2 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE  IMPERIAL  F^.TE  AT  FARNBOROUGH  HILL 

An  unparalleled  event  in  the  Empress's  English  life 
has  now  to  be  recorded. 

The  date  was  November  2(3,  1907;  the  scene,  Farn- 
borough  Hill,  where,  consequent  upon  the  visit  of  the 
King  and  Queen  of  Spain  to  their  English  relatives 
ind  friends,  the  Empress  Eugenie  was,  for  the  first 
time  during  her  exile,  "at  home,"  not  only  to  the 
Spanish  Sovereigns,  but  to  her  friends  and  neigh- 
bours, some  hundred  or  so  in  numl)er,  and  amongst 
them  a  goodly  sprinkling  of  soldiers  from  Aldershot. 

King  Alfonso  and  Queen  Victoria  Eugenie,  who 
were  the  Empress's  guests  on  the  26th  and  27th, 
first  went  to  the  imperial  mausoleum  and  laid 
wreaths  on  the  tombs  of  the  P^mperor  and  the  Prince 
Imperial,  then  journeyed  to  Aldershot,  and  in  the 
afternoon  joined  their  imperial  hostess.  The  royal 
pair,  accompanied  by  Miss  Vaughan  (a  niece  of  the 
Empress's  friend,  Mme.  De  Arcos),  Comte  Clary,  and 
M.  Pietri,  were  received  at  the  Abbey  of  St.  Michael 
by  the  Lord  Abbot,  who,  attended  by  some  of  the 
Benedictine  Monks,  conducted  the  King  and  Queen 
into  the  crypt,  and  witnessed  the  placing  of  their 
WTeaths  on  the  tombs. 

That  evening  Farnborough  Hill  was  ablaze  with 
light.      The    salle    a    manger    is     most    artistically 

260 


THE  FfiTE  AT  FARNBOROUGH  HILL     261 

tapestried,  and  as  seen  by  candlelight,  when  the 
guests  had  taken  their  places  a  little  after  eight 
o'clock,  was  indeed  beautiful  to  look  upon.  The 
Empress  was  led  in  by  King  Alfonso  with  the  grace 
of  one  inspired  by  the  traditions  of  the  Court  of 
Madrid,  and  strikingly  pathetic  was  it  to  see  the 
youngest  monarch  in  Europe,  as  he  then  was,  con- 
ducting the  silver-haired  chatelaine  to  her  seat  at  the 
banqueting  board,  while  the  youngest  and  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  Queens  in  Christendom  and  her 
illustrious  mother  looked  smilingly  on.  M.  Frances- 
chini  Pietri  could  not  have  imagined  such  a  scene 
being  enacted  under  the  roof-tree  of  the  imperial 
lady  whose  fortunes  he  has  so  faithfully  followed  for 
the  greater  part  of  his  lifetime. 

When  all  were  seated,  it  was  seen  that  the  Empress's 
dinner-party  was  thus  composed.  First,  the  august 
hostess,  whose  plain  black  dress  and  widow's  cap  and 
veil  formed  a  startling  contrast  to  the  brilliant  toilettes 
of  the  other  ladies  and  the  bright  uniforms  of  the 
soldier-guests  from  Aldershot.  Next,  King  Alfonso, 
Queen  Victoria  Eugenie  (whose  second  name  is  that 
of  her  godmother),  and  Princess  Henry  of  Batten- 
berff.  Then  General  Sir  John  and  Ladv  French, 
Prince  Alexander  of  Battenberg,  his  Excellency  the 
Spanish  Ambassador  and  Mme.  de  Villa  Urrutia,  the 
Due  d'Albe  (the  Empress's  grand-nephew),  the 
(Spanish)  Due  de  Santa  Maura,  the  Duchesse  de 
Santo  Carlos,  the  Manjuis  de  Torrecilla,  the  well- 
known  and  popular  Marquis  de  Villalobar,  Comte 
Grobe,  Comte  Clary  (whose  father  was  so  well 
known  at  Chislehurst),  Major  MacEwen  (16th  Lancers) 
and  Mrs.  MacEwen,  Mr.  Vaughan  (of  the  Coldstream 
Guards)    and    Miss    Vaughan,    and    M.    Franceschini 


2()'j  i:mim;kss  KU(^r:xiF. 

Pit'tri.  (\)uit  ilri'ss  was  worn  1)\  K'uxu;  Alfonso  and 
tlu'  otluT  i;rntl('nu'ii,  with  the  exception  of  Sir  Jolin 
Fivncli  anil  the  ollieers. 

C»)iieen  Victoria  Eugenie's  rohe  was  of  delicate  blue 
chiffon,  her  lavourite  hue,  and  the  coh>ur  which  more 
harnu>ni/.es  with  her  fair  l)eautv  tiian  any  other.  Her 
pearls,  hy  their  purity,  recalled  those  world-famous 
ornaments  of  her  auu:ust  iiodmother  :  her  diamonds 
scintillated  with  her  every  movement  ;  glistening 
"  Mercury  "  wings  in  her  hair  had  replaced  the  tiara 
of  hrilliants  in  which  she  is  generally  seen  at  State 
entertainments. 

Every  guest  took  away,  and  will  prize,  the  menu  of 
the  "  King  and  Queen  of  Spain's  Dinner,"  given  by 
the  Empress  at  Farnl)orougli  Hill  on  November  26, 
1907,  her  first  and  only  entertainment  of  the  kind 
since  she  was  driven  forth  from  the  deserted  Palace 
of  the  Tuileries.  That  gilt-edged  dinner-card,  with 
its  gold-embossed  Royal  Crown  of  Spain,  is  worthy 
of  preservation.  There  may  never  be  another  like  it, 
although  im])erial  dinner-parties  at  Farnborough  Hill 
may  possibly  follow  it.  The  Empress  was  radiant ; 
she  lausched  at  King;  Alfonso's  artless  stories,  for 
His  Majesty  narrates  piquant  things  in  a  very  piquant 
style,  exactly  as  did  the  father  who  was  destined 
never  to  see  him.  Her  Imperial  Majesty  was  full 
of  lively  conversation  ;  and  when,  presently,  the 
happy  people  who  had  been  bidden  to  the  "  at  home  " 
arrived,  after  long  drives  through  the  dark  Hampshire 
lanes,  they  were  amazed,  as  they  did  homage  to  the 
.>till-beautiful  lady,  to  find,  not  the  sombre  recluse 
of  their  imaginings,  but  a  smiling  grande  dame^ 
who  for  that  occasion  had  put  off  her  eighty-two 
years  (or  nearly)   in  favour  of  a  gracious  juvenility 


THE  FETE  AT  FARNBOROUGH  HILL     263 

which,  mirabile  dictu,  had  even  its  delightfully  gay 
moments.  Perhaps  the  presence  of  her  youthful 
goddaughter  and  her  consort,  le  jeune  premier  de 
VEurope,  as  he  has  been  humorously  called,  had 
something  to  do  with  it ;  for,  as  Goethe  has  told  us, 
"  Mighty  is  the  goddess  of  propinquity."  Surrounded 
by  these  happy  children,  what  wonder  if  the  Empress 
felt  young  and  happy  again  ?  Miss  Margaret  Cooper's 
and  Mrs.  Swinton's  songs  delighted  hostess  and  guests 
alike,  the  Empress  and  the  King  were  convulsed  at 
Mr.  Harry  Tate's  ludicrous  story  of  his  auto-car 
experiences,  and  Leipzig's  conjuring  tricks  puzzled 
them  all. 

Some  six  or  seven  months  after  the  visit  of  the 
Spanish  Sovereigns  to  Farnborough  Hill  —  to  be 
exact,  on  June  23,  1908 — the  Empress's  goddaughter 
gave  birth  to  a  second  son,  who  was  christened 
Alexander,  after  that  Battenberg  Prince  who  once 
ruled  over  the  nation  which  has  now  its  own  Tsar. 

The  marriage  of  Princess  Ena  was  a  great  joy  to 
the  Empress,  who  was  said  to  have  been,  as  perhaps 
she  was,  instrumental  in  arranging  it.  The  engagement 
will  be  remembered  for  the  outburst  of  anger  with 
which  it  was  greeted  by  a  section  of  British  Prot- 
estants, who  saw  in  the  Princess's  "  conversion "  a 
renewal  of  the  machinations  of  the  "  Scarlet  Lady," 
and  vigorously  protested  against  all  such  backsliding 
on  the  part  of  a  member  of  our  Royal  Family.  In 
this  demonstration  of  outraged  faith  Miss  Marie 
Corelli  fervently  joined.  That  gifted  lady  took  the 
"  conversion  "  so  deeply  to  heart  that  she  wrote  and 
published  an  article,  "  advance  sheets  "  of  which  were 
"  courteously  supplied"  by  the  editor  to  some  favoured 
newspapers.     It  nuist  have  salved  the  national  con- 


•2r,.|  KMTIJKSS  EUGENIE 

sciiMUT  to  siH'  tilt'  tali'iiti'd  autlior  of  "The  Sorrows 
of  Satan  '"  in  tlic  clKiraftcr  t)t"  ji  "  Defender  of  the 
Faith,"  ami  (h)nl)tK'ss  her  "remarkable  article  on  the 
conversion  of  Princess  Ena  "  was  entirely  to  the  taste 
of  manv  wortliN   pi'oj)!^. 

Miss  Corelli  was  concerned  to  "point  out  that  one 
of  the  prime  movers  and  supporters  of  the  Spanish 
marriage  was  the  Empress  Eugenie";  and  she  was 
good  enough  to  inform  an  ignorant  world  that  "  The 
closest  intimacy  exists,  and  has  existed  for  years, 
between  the  Empress  and  the  Hattenberg  family, 
and  it  is  generally  understood  that  the  l*rincess  Ena 
will  inherit  a  considerable  fortune  under  the  will 
of  her  august  friend.  Whether  any  conditions  are 
imposed  on  that  inheritance,  such  as  that  she  shall " 
(as,  alas  !  she  did)  "  become  a  Roman  Catholic  in 
order  to  benefit  by  her  godmother's  testamentary 
intentions,  is  merely  a  matter  for  surmise.  But  that 
such  conditions  are  likely,  considering  the  extreme 
devotion  of  the  Empress  to  the  Ultramontane 
party  in  Europe,  does  not  appear  an  unreasonable 
hypothesis."     Perhaps  not — to  Miss  Marie  Corelli. 

On  September  2,  1908,  the  Empress  Eugenie  was 
gladdened  by  a  second  visit,  lasting,  however,  only  a 
few  hours,  from  King  Alfonso  and  his  Consort.  1 
do  not  know  if  the  j)resence  of  any  evil-disposed 
persons  was  anticipated,  but  there  was  a  goodly  show 
of  "  the  force,"  and  the  approach  to  the  railway- 
station  was  cleared  of  all  and  sundry  long  before 
the  royal  train  drew  up  ;  dotted  along  the  road 
leading  to  the  imperial  residence  were  more  police- 
men. And  all  this  display  of  constabulary  to  keep 
the  immense  crowd  of  about  fifty  Farnborough  folk, 
including  many  children,  and   even  infants  in  arms, 


THE  F^TE  AT  FARNBOROUGH  HILL     265 

from  interfering  with  the  young  royal  couple, 
Princess  Henry  of  Battenberg,  and  three  of  the 
Queen's  brothers  ! 

Shower  after  shower  pelted  down,  but  the  Farn- 
boroughians  stood  their  ground.  Presently  the  first 
of  three  or  four  "  autos "  appeared.  In  it  were  the 
King  and  Queen  and  Princess  Henry,  who  were 
amused  to  see  a  baby  of  about  three  summers  wave 
a  strip  of  red  and  yellow  crinkled  paper  and  coo  its 
infantine  "hurrah!"  The  young  Queen  gave  that 
baby  one  of  her  winning  smiles,  the  King  waved  his 
hand,  and  then  the  "  auto  "  vanished  into  space.  And 
this  was  how  Farnborough  welcomed  the  Empress's 
charming  goddaughter  and  her  consort,  although  the 
papers  put  it  rather  differently. 

Now,  this  particular  Wednesday  chanced  to  be  the 
thirty-eighth  anniversary  of  a  great  event  in  the  world's 
history,  an  event  which  was  the  immediate  cause  of 
the  hostess  of  the  Spanish  Sovereigns  taking  up  her 
residence  in  England  ;  for  it  was,  as  we  know,  on 
September  2,  1870,  that  Napoleon  III.  surrendered  to 
the  King  of  Prussia — the  day  after  the  battle  of 
Sedan.  It  was  certainly  an  extraordinary  coincidence 
that  this  date  should  have  been  fixed  for  the  King  and 
Queen  of  Spain's  visit  to  the  Empress,  and  it  was 
also  curious  that  the  Press  took  no  notice  of  the 
circumstance.  Whilst  the  imperial  lady  and  her 
guests  were  at  lunch,  I  stood  once  more  by  the  red 
granite  sarcophagi  of  the  Emperor  and  the  Prince 
Imperial  ;  and  I  noted  tliat  the  most  prominent 
objects  on  the  tombs  in  the  crypt  of  the  Abbey 
Church  of  St.  Michael  were  the  wreaths — one  of 
bright  scarlet,  the  other  of  purple  —  which  King 
Alfonso  and  his  Queen  had  placed  there  in  1907. 


'2(\(\  EMIMxKSS  KrOENIE 

Altlioimli  1  li:ivf  M'cii  inucli  of  Alfonso  XTTl.,  1 
liaj»peiuHl  to  st'O  luiuli  more  of  liis  father,  for  I  liad 
the  pK'asiire  of  aceoinpaiiyinL:;  Alfonso  XII.  on  his 
nieniorahlc  journev  from  Paris  to  Madrid  on  his  acces- 
sion to  the  throne  which  his  motlier,  (^ueen  Isabella, 
had  been  forced  to  abdicate,  and  which,  later,  King 
Aniadeo,  after  less  than  a  couple  of  years'  bitter 
experience  of  the  tickle  Sjjaniards,  discariled.  The 
young  King  is  a  highly  interesting  study.  He  is  the 
most  restless  of  monarchs — always  "  on  the  go "  ; 
attractive  by  his  frank  gaiety,  by  that  joie  do  vivre 
which  is  his  leading  characteristic.  Take  this  little 
scene  as  an  illustration.  It  is  a  September  morning, 
an  hour  before  he  is  due  at  Charing  Cross  Station  to 
receive  the  farewell  benediction  of  the  Archbishop  of 
Toledo.  A  slim  figure  appears  at  the  door  of  the 
Ritz  ;  a  figure  clad  in  a  grey  suit,  his  trousers  well 
turned  up,  a  soft  Homburg  hat  (green)  perched  jauntily 
on  his  black-haired  head  ;  a  cigarette,  in  a  long  tube, 
between  his  lips  ;  a  short  stick  in  his  left  hand. 

He  does  not  walk,  he  skips — may  I  say  he  swaggers  ? 
— down  the  steps,  elbows  squared,  a  "get-out-of-the- 
way-I-am-coming "  look  on  his  mobile  countenance. 
It  is  "  English  style,"  and  nothing  else,  with  him. 
He  has  become  the  personification  of  the  London 
young  man  of  the  obsolete  "  Johnny  "  type  of  a  decade 
ago.  Now  he  is  in  the  "  auto,"  scarcely  waiting  for 
the  chauflt'eur  to  open  the  door.  Six  or  seven  minutes 
later  he  is  buying  three  more  felt  hats,  all  green,  with 
a  "  Be  quick,  please  ;  I'm  in  a  hurry."  Anon  to  a 
Hoi  born  mart  for  hockey  sets — thirty-two,  "  exactly 
like  this  one."  Back  to  Regent  Street,  "  as  fast  as 
you  can  go — I've  very  little  time  " — just  time  to  please 
another  merchant  by  selecting,  choosing  breathlessly, 


THE  f6TE  at  FARNBOROUGH  HILL     267 

but  with  good  taste,  some  diamond  brooches  and  other 
trinkets.  "Charing  Cross — be  lively  !"  Before  eleven 
the  train  is  off,  and  we  catch  a  glimpse  of  his  eager 
face,  we  hear  a  voice  shouting  "  Good-bye  !"  We  had 
seen  the  last  of  the  thirteenth  Alfonso,  twice  the  guest 
of  the  august  Lady  of  Farnborough  Hill,  the  attached 
friend  of  his  well-remembered  grandmother. 


CHAPTER  XVTl 

WHERE  THE  DEAD  REST 

EvKN  now,  probalily,  tlio  fact  that,  some  fourteen 
years  ago,  tlie  Empress,  by  deed  of  gift,  transferred 
the  Clmrcli  and  Al)hey  of  St.  Michael  — tlie  imperial 
mausoleum  and  its  appurtenances — to  the  Benedictine 
Monks  in  perpetuity  is  unknown  except  by  a  very  few. 
The  buildings  date  from  1886-7,  and  were  erected 
by  the  Empress  primarily  for  the  purposes  of  a 
mausoleum.  In  the  crypt  repose  the  remains  of  the 
Emperor  Napoleon  III.  and  the  Prince  Imperial,  which 
were  removed  from  St.  Mary's  Church  at  Chislehurst 
on  January  9,  1888.  The  total  cost  of  the  church 
and  what  was  originally  a  priory,  but  is  now  elevated 
to  the  dignity  of  an  abbey,  was  upwards  of  £80,000  ; 
since  1887,  however,  there  have  been  enlargements  of, 
and  considerable  additions  to,  the  monastic  buildings, 
involving  further  ex])enditure.  The  "  ])riory  "  was  a 
brick  building,  with  no  particularly  noticeable  features; 
the  "  abbey  "  forms  a  quadrangle  about  180  feet  in 
length  each  way,  the  style  being  an  adaptation  of 
Early  Gothic.  Externally  it  is  faced  with  Kentish 
ragstone,  with  ca})s  and  bases  of  columns  in  Portland 
stone,  the  colunms  being  mostly  of  black  Connemara 
marble.  The  architect  was  Mr.  Benedict  Williamson. 
Of  late  years  the  Benedictine  community  has  greatly 
developed,  and  there  are  now  at  Farnborough  some 

268 


CI      j;; 


WHERE  THE  DEAD  REST  269 

forty   members,    French   and   English,  inchiding   re- 
ligieiia:  de  chceur  and Jyeres  convers. 

It  was  the  Empress's  original  intention  that  the 
church  should  be  served  by  two  or  three  "  secular  " 
priests.  Negotiations  with  the  Dominicans  were 
barren  of  result,  and  the  charge  was  given  into  the 
hands  of  a  few  French  Premonstratensians,  known 
also  as  the  White  Canons  of  St.  Norbert.  They  are 
an  Order  of  Canons  Regular,  founded  by  St.  Norbert 
in  1120  ;  and  before  the  Reformation  they  had  a 
large  number  of  flourishing  houses  in  England.  The 
French  Congregation  which  first  sent  some  of  its 
members  to  Farnborough  had  its  mother-house  at 
Frigolet,  near  Tarascon,  a  name  familiar  to  English 
readers  as  the  home  of  Alphonse  Daudet's  world- 
famous  Tartarin.  The  members  of  the  Order  of  Pre 
Montre  remained  at  Farnborough  until  1895,  when 
they  Avere  replaced  by  the  Benedictines. 

St.  Michael's  Church  stands  on  the  crown  of  a  hill, 
opposite  the  residence  of  the  Empress,  who  from  her 
windows  can  see  the  place  of  sepulture  of  her  consort 
and  her  son.  The  building  is  of  cruciform  shape, 
and  has  a  nave  of  three  bays  without  aisles,  transepts 
with  a  cupola  and  lantern  over  the  crossing,  and  an 
apsidal  sanctuary,  the  aisles  of  which  are  enclosed, 
forming  sacristies.  Under  the  transepts  and  apse  is 
the  crypt,  with  the  two  massive  sarcophagi,  of  red 
Aberdeen  granite.  Into  the  architectural  details  of 
the  building  I  need  not  enter  further  than  to  remark 
that  the  church  is  a  good  example  of  the  French 
flamboyant  style,  and  that  much  of  it  resembles  some 
of  the  Rouen  churches,  especially  the  crockets  and 
pinnacles.  The  carved  stone  holy-water  stoup  at  the 
entrance  bears  the  arms  of  the  Empress,     The  altars 


270  KMriJKSS  KUGl^.NIK 

t»t'  tlu'  Sncivtl  Heart  aiul  of  ( )iir  Hlessi'tl  Ladv  -aw  of 
l>o:iutifiil  coloiuTcl  ninrhlos.  The  liiuli  altar  is  of 
Cai'ii  stone,  in  sixteentli-centurv  style,  and  is  sur- 
niounteil  l)y  hrass  candlesticks,  with  three  anii;els 
seated  at  the  hase  ;  the  initial  N  and  the  imperial 
crown  are  prominent  here.  Near  the  steps  dividing- 
the  nave  from  the  sanctnarv  are  a  statue  of  St.  Louis, 
King  of  France,  and  a  remarkahle  crucifix,  composed 
of  a  single  piece  of  ivorv,  surrounded  by  a  curious 
frame  of  carved  wood.  This  was  presented  by  Pope 
Pius  IX.  at  the  baj^tism  of  the  Prince  Imperial. 

The  sacristy  contains  some  ])eautiful  ornaments 
used  in  the  celebration  of  the  Office.  The  visitor  is 
shown  a  chasuble  of  red  watered  silk,  embroidered  by 
the  Empress  herself.  Her  Majesty's  wedding-dress 
was  converted  into  white  vestments,  which  are  used 
at  the  great  festivals  of  the  Church.  The  Duchesse 
de  Moucliy  made  one  of  the  chasubles  ;  and  a  set  of 
red  vestments — one  chasuble,  two  dalmatics,  and  one 
humeral  veil — formed  the  Sultan's  gift  to  the  Empress. 
Magnificent  purple  vestments,  in  well-wrought  velvet, 
were  made  from  the  pall  which  covered  the  Emperor's 
coffin.  The  visitor  who  is  not  disposed  to  linger  in 
the  sacristy  will  miss  seeing  some  other  very  artistic 
objects.  There  are  the  altar-cards  which  are  used  in 
the  Requiem  Masses  for  the  imperial  family,  illumin- 
ations of  exquisite  workmanship,  presented  by  M. 
Leon  Dandalin  Mniszech.  The  border  is  a  garland  of 
violets,  a  white  scroll  containing  the  Prince  Imperial's 
prayer.  On  a  cartouch,  flanked  by  two  eagles  and 
golden  bees,  is  the  Prince's  motto,  "  Passavant  le 
meillor."  Below  the  imperial  crown  are  two  es- 
cutcheons, inscribed  "  Dieu  I'a  voulu ";  "  de  Dieu 
que  le  nom  soit  beni ";  "  Sursum  corda." 


WHERE  THE  DEAD  REST  271 

Descending  a  few  steps,  one  enters  the  crypt,  which 
extends  beneath  the  choir  and  both  transepts.  Red 
and  white  marble  form  the  pavement.  The  brass 
candlesticks,  the  crucifix,  and  other  altar  ornaments 
are  fashioned  in  twelfth-century  style,  and  are  well- 
nigh  unrivalled.  Behind  the  altar  is  seen  a  head  of 
Christ,  which  was  for  many  years  at  Arenenberg,  the 
early  home  of  Napoleon  III.  The  Emperor's  tomb 
(the  gift  of  Queen  Victoria)  is  on  the  right  side  of 
the  altar,  the  Prince  Imperial's  on  the  left.  On  the 
former  is  the  simple  inscription,  "  Napoleon  III." 
On  one  of  the  coffins  enclosed  in  the  granite  tomb  is 
engraved,  on  a  gilded  brass  plate  : 

NAPOLEON  III. 

EMPEREUR   DES   FRANgAIS 

NE   A   PARIS 

LE   20   AVRIL   1808 

MORT   A   CAMDEN    PLACE 

CHISLEHURST 

LE    9    JANVIER    1873 

R.I.P. 

The  Prince  Imperial's  sarcophagus,  which  was  the 
gift  of  his  friends,  is  inscribed  : 

NAPOLEON 

PRINCE   IMPERIAL 

n6   A   PARIS 

LE    16    MARS    1856 

MORT   EN    SOLDAT   A   ITIOTIOZY 

(AFRIQUE  AUSTRALE) 

1  JUIN  1879 

The  coffin  is  of  mahogany,  covered  with  purple  silk, 
its  eight  gilded  handles  all  bearing  the  letter  N. 
On  a  gilded  brass  plate,  whereon  are  an  eagle  sur- 


•272  KMIMIKSS  KUGENIK 

inoiinttMl  l)y  the  im|)(.'ri;il  crown,  niul  a  Latin  cross,  is 
cnuravcd : 

NAPOLRON 

KUGKNK    LOUIS   JEAN    JOSEPH 

PRINCE    IMPl^nilAL 

Nl!;   A   PARIS    LE    IG    MARS    1856 

TUt   A    L'KNNKMI    AU   ZULULAND   (AKRigUK   AUSTHALE) 

LE    1    JUIN    1879 

DRPOSt   DANS    L'EGLISE   CATHOl.IQUE   DE   STE.    ^L\.R1E    DE 

CHISLEHURST 

LE    12   JUILLET    1879 

R.I.P. 

The  body  of  the  "  little  Prince  "  rests,  I  am 
told,  on  a  fine  cloth,  marked  with  a  crowned  N. 
Between  his  hands,  which  are  crossed  on  the  breast,  is 
a  rosary,  blessed  by  Pope  Pius  TX.,  his  godfather.  In 
the  young:  martyr's  coffin  are  three  photographs — one 
of  the  Emperor,  one  of  the  Empress,  and  one  of  the 
Duchesse  de  Medina- Cceli,  nee  Louise  Stuart  (a  cousin 
of  the  son  of  Napoleon  and  Eugenie)  ;  on  the  breast 
are  a  crucifix,  a  gold  medal,  and  a  medal  of  the 
Virgin. 

Both  sarcophagi  were  for  many  years  covered  with 
wreaths.  The  arm-chairs  and  prie-Dieu  near  both 
tombs,  and  those  in  the  left  transept  of  the  church, 
came  from  the  Chateau  Eugenie  at  Biarritz,  in  which 
the  Emperor  and  Empress  formerly  resided  ;  and  in 
the  abbey  itself  are  carefully  preserved  many  objects 
recalling  the  memory  of  the  Emperor  and  his  son. 

The  Rme.  Pere  Abbe,  Dom  F.  Cabrol,  who  was 
elected  Lord  Abbot  of  St.  Michael  on  July  20,  1903, 
was  born  at  Marseilles  on  December  11,  1855.  At 
twenty  he  entered  the  monastery  of  St.  Pierre  at 
Solesmes  (in  the  Sarthe),  and  there  made  his  "  pro- 
fession "  on    September   29,   1877.     Before    1903    he 


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WHEEE  THE  DEAD  REST  273 

was  Prior  of  what  was  then  the  Priory  of  Farn- 
borough.  The  first  Abbot  of  this  ecclesiastical 
foundation,  Dom  Cabrol  is  a  prolific  writer,  and 
author  of  several  volumes  of  great  value  to  students 
of  ecclesiological  and  archaeological  literature.  The 
Lord  Abbot's  published  volumes  include  the  follow- 
ing :  "  Histoire  de  Cardinal  Pitra "  (Retaux,  Paris, 
1893)  ;  "  Etude  sur  la  Peregrinatio  Silvife,  les  Eglises 
de  Jerusalem,  la  Discipline  et  la  Liturgie  au  IV® 
Siecle  "  (1  vol.,  Oudin,  Paris)  ;  "  Le  Livre  de  la  Priere 
Antique"  (Oudin,  Paris) ;  "  La  Priere  pour  les  Morts  " 
(Oudin)  ;  "  La  Priere  pour  les  Malades  "  (Oudin)  ; 
and  "  Les  Origines  Liturgiques  "  (Letouzy,  1906). 

Since  the  Benedictines  have  been  at  Farnborough, 
they  have  completed,  under  Dom  Cabrol's  direction, 
a  very  important  and  valuable  work,  entitled  "  Dic- 
tionnaire  d'Archeologie  Chretienne  et  de  Liturgie," 
characterized  by  the  best  traditions  of  the  Benedictine 
school,  and  of  the  greatest  assistance  to  all  labouring 
in  this  field  of  literature.  It  is  published  by  Letouzy, 
Paris,  and  as  a  work  of  reference  is  second  to  none. 
The  renowned  Abbey  of  Solesmes,  to  which  the 
Farnborough  monks  belong,  was  restored  in  1833,  and 
five  years  later  Pope  Gregory  XVI.  declared  that  this 
Congregation  inherited  the  privileges  accorded  by 
the  Roman  Pontiffs  to  the  Congregations  of  Cluny, 
St.  Vanne,  St.  Hydulphe,  and  St.  Maur,  which  were 
dispersed  during  the  Revolution.  For  many  centuries 
these  Congregations  were  the  glory  of  the  Church 
and  of  France.  Their  fidelity  to  monastic  observances 
had  made  holiness  flourish,  and  their  encyclopsedical 
knowledge  shed  a  lustre  on  their  Order.  By  their 
works  on  the  Fathers  they  opened  up  a  new  method 
of  historical  research.     Under  the  direction  of  Abbot 

IS 


274  KM  PRESS  EUGENIE 

(riieranirt  r.  tin-  (\>iio:regation  of  Solesnies  was  specially 
(>(TU])ied   in  the  study  of  the  Liturgy,  and  published 
many   learned    works   on   the   suhject.      (^f   these    the 
best    known    is   the   ''  Annt^e    Liturgique, "    which   has 
gone  througli   numerous  editions  in  France,  and  has 
l>een    translated   into   Kno-lish.     These  traditions  are 
continued     by     the     Farnborougli     monks,     and    the 
principal  object  of  their  works  is  to  make  known  the 
origin  of  liturgical  worship,  prayers,  and  ceremonies. 
Dom  Ferotin,  now  of  Farnborough,  is  a  well-known 
^riidit   on  the   Continent.      His  "  Histoire  de   Silos" 
and  "  Recueil  des  Chartes  de  I'Abbaye  de  Silos  "  were 
awarded  the  Saintour  prize  by  the  French  Academy. 
Dom  Souben,  analyzing  in  the  "  Beauty  of  Christian 
Dogma  "  all  the  dogmas  of   Christianity,  brings  out 
the  special  beauty  contained  in  each,  and  shows  how 
the  Christian,  in  following   the    good,  has   naturally 
obtained   the    beautiful.     This   able   writer    has   also 
published    "  Les    Manifestations    du    Beau    dans    la 
Nature"  (Lethielleux,  Paris),  "  Dieu  dans  I'Histoire 
et   la    Revelation,"    the    first  part    of    a    "  Nouvelle 
Theologie   Dogmatique  "   (Beauchesne,  Paris).     Dom 
Delpech,  one  of  the  collaborators  of  Dom  Moquereau, 
in  the  "  Paleograi)hie   Musicale,"  has    written    many 
delightful  accompaniments  to  those  plain  chants  which 
are    such    striking    features    of    the    services    of    the 
Catholic  Church.     Dom  Leclercq  was  Dom  Cabrol's 
principal  assistant  in  the  production  of  the  "  Monu- 
menta  Ecclesise  Liturgica,"  the  first  volume  of  which 
appeared  in  1902  under  the  title  "  Reliquije  Liturgicae 
vetustissima3  ex  Omnibus  Scriptis  monumentisve  ab 
aevo  Apostolico  ad  pacem  Ecclesiae  excerptse"  (Firmin 
Didot,  Paris).      Another   publication   undertaken  by 
the  Benedictines   is   a  "  Recueil  de    Pieces    Authen- 


WHEEE  THE  DEAD  BEST  275 

tiques  siir  les  Martyrs  depiiis  les  Origines  dii  Chris- 
tianisme  jusqu'au  XXi^me  Siecle."  Of  this  notable 
work  the  first  volume  was  published  in  1902,  under 
the  title  "  Les  Temps  Neroniens  et  le  Deuxieme 
Siecle  "  (Oudin,  Paris). 

An  author  who  has  admirably  described  the  Bene- 
dictine life  is  Andre  Turquet,  M.A.  "  Men  of  our 
day,"  he  writes,  "  understand  nothing  of  monastic  life, 
because,  carried  away  by  the  fever  of  progress,  and 
always  thirsting  for  movement  and  novelty,  they 
place  the  ideal  of  life  in  exterior  activity  and  in 
material  progress.  Many  persons  consider  that  the 
active  life  of  a  parish  priest  or  of  a  missionary  is 
alone  suited  to  the  present  times,  and  think  that 
there  is  no  longer  any  reason  for  the  existence  of 
monks." 

Remember  what  Izaak  Walton  says  in  his  "  Com- 
pleat  Angler  " :  "  You  know,  gentlemen,  it  is  an  easy 
thing  to  scoff  at  any  art  or  recreation  ;  a  little  wit, 
mixed  with  ill-nature,  confidence,  and  malice,  will 
do  it.  .  .  .  The  nearer  we  mortals  come  to  God  by 
way  of  imitation,  the  more  happy  we  are."  I  suppose 
Sala  and  Walton  form  about  as  striking  a  contrast  as 
could  be  imagined,  yet  they  were  at  one  on  this  point 
of  monastic  admiration  and  respect  for  those  who  live 
the  cloistered  life,  and  occupy  tliemselves,  like  the 
Farnborough  Benedictines,  in  works  for  the  benefit 
of  the  present  and  future  generations. 

Montalembert,  in  an  eloquent  passage,  wrote  : 
"  The  first  of  all  the  services  which  monks  conferred 
on  Christian  society  was  to  pray,  to  pray  much,  to 
pray  continually  for  those  who  prayed  badly  or  did 
not  pray  at  all.  .  .  .  They  lightened  the  weight  of 
the  iniquities  of   the   world  ;  they  re-established   the 

1^—2 


27C.  KMPrxKSS  EUGl^.NTE 

oijiiili'iriiiin  Kotwoon  tlu'  oni|iir('  of  Iu'mvcii  and  that  of 
oartli.  " 

I-lvtMi  Anatol(>  Franco,  wlio  is  not  precisely  tlie  sort 
of  nvAU  Nvliom  Carilinal  Manning  would  Inive  rhapso- 
dized over,  has  adniirini;  words  for  the  Benedictines. 
As  for  the  (^artluisians,  if  you  would  understand 
something  of  the  beauty  of  the  lives  which  they  led 
up  in  the  Daujiliiny  mountains,  you  must  read  what 
that  hellicose  journalist,  Louis  Veuillot,  who  w^as  "plus 
Catholi(|ue  (pie  le  Pape,"  has  written  about  it.  Some- 
thing of  that  life  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  see  for 
myself,  long  before  the  monks  were  despoiled  of  their 
home  at  the  Grande  Chartreuse,  which  had  been  theirs 
for  nearly  a  thousand  years.  And  I  can  still  see  the 
hooded  figures,  each  carrying  a  lantern,  filing  noise- 
lessly into  the  church  at  midnight,  and  hear  their 
voices  as,  one  after  another,  they  read  the  Office, 
while,  from  the  little  gallery,  1  gazed  down  on  the 
scene  which  was  enacted  night  after  night  through  the 
slow-moving  centuries. 

At  Farnborough  Abbey  the  day  begins  at  4  a.m., 
and  half  an  hour  later  the  monks  are  in  the  church 
for  Matins  and  Lauds,  which  comprise  their  night 
Office.  Prime  (morning  prayer)  is  said  at  a  quarter 
past  seven,  and  at  half-past  eight  Mass  is  sung, 
preceded  by  the  hour  of  Tierce,  and  followed  by 
Sext.  The  afternoon  is  divided  into  two  :  they  recite 
Nones  at  half-past  three,  and  then  Vespers  are  sung. 
At  eight  o'clock  Compline  is  recited — the  last  of  the 
seven  canonical  hours  in  the  Catholic  Breviary. 
Between  the  services  the  members  of  the  community 
occupy  themselves  with  intellectual  work  in  the  silence 
of  their  cells,  specially  devoting  themselves  to  the 
study    of    archaeology,    the    Christian     Liturgy,    and 


WHERE  THE  DEAD  REST  277 

ecclesiastical  history.  When  circumstances  require 
it,  the  Benedictine  monks,  wherever  they  may  be, 
undertake  preaching  and  other  ministerial  work. 
The  literary  studies  of  the  monks  naturally  necessitate 
recourse  to  the  great  libraries  of  the  world,  and  it  is 
a  pleasure  to  me  to  be  the  medium  of  expressing  the 
gratitude  of  the  members  of  the  Farnborough  com- 
munity for  the  facilities  which  they  enjoy  at  the 
British  Museum.  They  write  :  "  Nous  sommes  fort 
reconnaissants  a  la  nation  anglaise,  qui  offre  tant  de 
facilites  de  travail  aux  ^rudits.  Le  British  Museum 
est  une  institution  que  nous  entourons  d'une  tr^s 
grande  veneration  et  de  toute  notre  gratitude." 

It  will  be  in  harmony  with  this  part  of  the  story  of 
the  exiles  if  I  narrate  here  the  episode  of  the  trans- 
ference of  the  imperial  remains  from  Chislehurst  to 
Farnborough  on  January  9,  1888,  the  anniversary  of 
the  Emperor's  death. 

The  gunners  from  Woolwich  raised  the  coffins 
shoulder-high,  and  bore  them  to  the  gun-carriages  in 
the  lane ;  the  young  Lieutenant  (Wing)  gave  the 
word,  "  March  !"  and  the  defile  to  the  railway-station 
began.  Chislehurst  had  ceased  to  be  the  Bonapartist 
shrine. 

The  Marquis  (later  the  Due)  de  Bassano  and 
M.  Franceschini  Pietri  were  the  official  witnesses  of 
the  last  act.  It  was,  however,  the  figure  of  the  priest 
which  stood  out  in  boldest  relief ,  vested  in  white  surplice 
and  purple  pan^  or  cotta  ;  and  Monsignor  Goddard  was, 
too,  the  sole  occupant  of  the  mortuary  car  in  which 
the  coffins  travelled  to  the  mausoleum  at  Farnborough. 
This  car,  into  which  Lord  and  Lady  Sydney  and  a 
few  others — some  of  my  friends  included — were  per- 
mitted to  take  a  glance,  was  draped  with  black  and 


27S  IvMrUKSS  EUGENIE 

carjH'tt'd  with  purple  ;  and  \\v  saw  ligliti'il  candles  in 
silver  seonces,  a  lari;-e  ivorv  criicilix,  shields  with  the 
nionoijranis  of  the  dead,  and  silver  stars  gleaming  on 
tlie  blaek  draperv. 

Thus  siniplv  were  the  remains  of  the  Emperor  and 
his  son  removed  from  Chislehurst  to  their  finjfl  resting- 
place,  amiiUt  the  farewell  salutations  of  a  few  thousand 
spectators  in  the  nuirk  of  the  winter  morning. 

Earlier  in  the  day,  soon  after  Mass,  I  had  rested 
awhile  in  St.  Mary's  Church,  noting  once  again  the 
faded  purple  velvet  ])all  (worked  by  the  Duchesse  de 
Cambaceres),  which  had  covered  the  Prince's  coltin 
since  187'J — that  })all  j)owalered  with  bees  and  violets, 
wrought  in  silver  and  gold,  and  bordered  with  silver 
fringe.  Some  wreaths  of  natural  flowers,  ])laced  on 
the  cotHn  nearly  nine  years  previously,  were  won- 
drously  fresh,  but  contact  with  the  air  caused  them  to 
fall  to  pieces  before  our  gaze.  Within  the  Emperor's 
sarcophagus  (which  had  Ijeen  removed  to  Farnborough) 
were  three  coffins.  The  outer  one,  of  well-seasoned 
oak,  was  now  seen  to  be  perfect,  or  nearly  so,  but 
parts  of  its  velvet  covering  had  rotted,  and  verdigris 
covered  the  bright  brass  fittings.  The  breastplate, 
surmounted  by  the  imperial  crown,  wasuncorroded,but 
the  brass  cross  at  the  foot  of  the  plate  was  of  a  dull 
green.  The  violet  velvet  drapery  of  the  Prince's 
coffin,  the  breastplate,  and  the  fittings  were  unspotted. 

Farnboroutrh  was  in  a  blaze  of  sunshine  when  the 
coffins  were  carried  up  the  hill  to  the  mausoleum  by 
the  bearing-party  of  Royal  Horse  Artillerymen,  to  be 
met  outside  the  church  by  the  Superior-General  of 
the  Premonstratensians  (the  White  Canons  of  St. 
Xorbert)  and  the  few  monks  of  that  Order  who  were 
then  the  custodians  of  the  mausoleum.     The  Brothers, 


WHERE  THE  DEAD  REST  279 

chanting  the  Psalms  for  the  Dead,  advanced  to  receive 
the  coffins  from  Monsignor  Goddard,  who  halted  at 
the  door  of  the  crypt,  for  now  his  long  and  faithful 
guardianship  of  the  remains  had  come  to  an  end. 

In  the  crypt  we  saw  the  coffins  placed  on  purple- 
draped  tressels  in  front  of  the  altar.  The  scene  was 
unforgettable.  Acolytes,  in  grey  serge  cassocks,  held 
aloft,  some  crucifixes,  others  tapers  ;  facing  the  altar 
were  grouped  the  monks,  in  cream-coloured  cucullus 
and  square  white  cap,  and  the  Superior-General  (Pere 
Paulin),  vested  in  black,  gold-embroidered.  The 
Papal  Prelate,  Monsignor  Carter,  was  distinguished 
from  the  monastic  body  by  his  black  soutane  and 
purple  girdle.  In  the  little  group  of  officiating  priests 
(Fathers  Joseph,  Prior  of  Storrington  ;  Edouard, 
Justin,  and  Ambrose)  was  Father  Bellord  (chaplain 
at  Aldershot),  who,  with  Dr.  Scott  (another  striking- 
figure),  had,  I  remembered,  received  the  Prince 
Imperial's  spear-pierced  body  when  it  was  brought 
into  Sir  Evelyn  Wood's  camp.  One  looked  vainly 
round  for  the  Empress  Eugenie  ;  but  there  was  to  be 
seen  the  pale,  clear-cut  face  of  a  Bonaparte— Prince 
Louis  Lucien  ;  and  watching  this  final  scene  were 
the  venerable  Due  de  Bassano,  his  son  and  ultimate 
successor,  M.  Pietri,  Mme.  De  Arcos  ;  her  sister, 
Mrs.  Vaughan  ;  and  others  of  the  Empress's  house- 
hold. Let  me  not  forget  also  Sir  Evelyn  and  Lady 
Wood,  General  Sir  Drury  Lowe,  and  Colonel  and 
Mrs.  Talbot.  The  few  strangers  present  regarded 
with  interest  Uhlmann,*  who  l)rought  the  Prince 
Imperial's  body  to  England  ;  and  Leon,  who  had  been 
the  young  martyr's  valet. 

Few  could  look  on  unmoved  when  the  Empress's 
*  This  faithful  servant  died  in  1906. 


280  KMIMIKSS  FA'GENIK 

iiRMi-servjints  dt'positi'd  tlu*  coHins  in  tlii'  sarcopluigi 
aiul  Vvrv  l*;uiliii  sxave  us  liis  l)lessini:;. 

Sonic  of  t!u'  u  itiM'ssi's  of  tlit'sc  fiiiuTt'al  scenes  at 
Cliislelnir^t  ami  l'arnl>orouuli  ilill  recalled  a  kindred 
e\i'iit  wliicli  had  ot-curred  twelve  vears  previously, 
when,  on  .lune  7,  1S7(!,  with  the  consent  of  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  French  Itepuhlic  (the  Bonapartist  Ma(r- 
Malion),  the  remains  of  Kint;  Louis  Philippe,  (^ueen 
Marie  AiiK^lie,  and  the  other  members  of  the  Orleans 
family  who  had  been  buried  at  Wevbridge  were  taken 
from  the  vaults  of  the  Roman  Catholic  chapel  at 
three  o'clock  in  the  morniuiJ:.  There  was  one 
Protestant  amongst  those  royal  dead,  the  Duchesse 
d'(.)rleans,  whose  remains  were  the  first  to  be  removed. 
Mass  was  said  for  all  the  others,  and  then  the  ten 
coffins  were  placed  in  a  special  train  (the  Comte  de 
Paris  and  his  attendants  accompanying  them),  trans- 
ferred, at  Southampton,  to  the  steamer  Samp/ive,  and 
conveyed  to  Honfieur  for  interment  at  Drenx.  The 
coffins  contained  the  King  and  Queen,  the  Duchesse 
d'(Jrleans,  the  Duchesse  d'Aumale,  the  Prince  de 
Cond^,  and  five  of  the  royal  children.  One  of  the 
five  coffins  bore  the  name  of  the  Due  de  Guise  ;  the 
four  others  were  iminscribed.  An  urn  contained  the 
embalmed  heart  of  the  Prince  de  Conde.  So  private 
were  the  proceedings  that,  apart  from  the  officials 
and  those  immediately  concerned,  less  than  twenty 
persons  witnessed  the  removal  of  the  illustrious 
dead. 

Formerly  the  Empress  was  a  frequent  visitor  to  the 
mausoleum  ;  of  late,  however,  she  is  only  seen  there 
once  or  twice,  or  perhaps  thrice,  a  year.  When  in 
England,  she  attends  the  commemorative  service  for 
Napoleon  III.  on  January  9  ;  and  she  is  occasionally 


WHERE  THE  DEAD  REST  2«1 

present  at  the  festival  of  Corpus  Christi,  wlien  there 
is  a  solemn  public  procession  of  the  Benedictines. 

On  January  9,  1908,  Her  Majesty  was  on  the  way 
to  Marseilles,  there  to  take  passage  to  Ceylon  ;  on 
that  date,  in  1909,  she  attended  the  anniversary 
service  at  the  mausoleum,  accompanied  by  one  of  her 
ladies  and  two  gentlemen.  (M.  Pietri,  who  is  seldom 
absent  from  this  dolorous  function,  was  in  Paris, 
whither,  owing  to  indifferent  health,  he  had  gone  for 
change  of  air.)  While  a  solemn  Mass  was  being 
sung  in  the  church  for  the  repose  of  the  soul  of 
Napoleon  III.,  the  Empress  was  in  the  crypt,  or 
mausoleum,  assisting  at  the  celebration  of  a  low 
Mass,  at  the  conclusion  of  which  the  officiant  at  the 
solemn  Mass  descended  to  the  crypt  to  give  the 
absolution.  In  January,  1910,  the  Empress  was  in 
Paris.  The  Masses  celebrated  on  January  9  are 
not,  as  they  are  usually  supposed  to  be,  Masses  for 
the  Dead,  and  for  this  reason  :  the  date  being  within 
the  octave  of  the  Epiphany,  the  Catholic  Church  does 
not  permit  the  latter  to  be  sung  en  ornements  noirs. 

As  a  rule,  the  Empress  is  absent  from  England  when 
the  commemorative  services  for  the  Prince  Imperial 
(June  1)  and  that  for  the  Emperor  Napoleon  I.  (May  5) 
are  celebrated  at  Earn  borough  Abbey  Church.  At 
no  other  church  in  the  United  Kingdom  are  Masses 
celebrated  for  Napoleon  I. 

The  Empress  drives  to  the  mausoleum,  often  in  an 
"  auto."  When,  after  the  service,  she  leaves  the 
abbey  church,  the  Lord  Abbot  greets  their  bene- 
factress in  very  simple  fashion,  and  the  next 
moment  the  imperial  car  is  lost  to  sight  in  the  pine- 
woods. 

On  Sundays  the  Empress  hears  Mass  in  her  private 


282  KMl'HKSS  KUOENIK 

oratorv.  Tliis  si-rvici'  is  ntti'inU'd  l)V  two  or  tlircc 
iiUMnl)ors  of  tilt'  siiitt',  and  in  the  sinumcr  hv  llcr 
Majesty's  ol'ti'ii  luinu'rous  i;:iu'sts.  Mass  is  c(.'k'l)rat(.'d 
by  one  or  otluT  ot*  tlic  Hnu'dictines  in  rotation. 

''  riu'  Knj|»ress's  Cliunli"  is  nunu-roiislv  visited. 
A  room  at  the  entranee-lodue  is  well  stocked  with 
j)ortrait>  and  views,  and  these  sonvenirs  are  in  ii,reat 
request. 

How  little  the  Empress's  hand  writ  ing  has  ehanii,ed 
in  the  last  thirty  years  will  be  seen  ))v  comparing  the 
sio:nature  on  i)age  '•84  with  the  following-,  written  at 
Killarnev  in  iyOi>  : 


/" 


X^y^t:-^-^^^k.>^  "  /^  ^^ 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE  "  CASE  "  FOR  THE  EMPRESS  * 

It  is  not  a  defence  which  I  undertake  :  the  Em- 
press would  not  pardon  any  of  her  friends  for  writing 
such. 

It  is  not  a  biography,  for  a  whole  book  would  be 
necessary  to  narrate  this  existence,  with  its  most 
touching  contrasts. 

I  should  like,  by  facts,  to  destroy  an  iniquitous 
legend,  which  tends  to  pervert  our  history,  being  based 
only  on  falsehood  and  bad  faith. 

For  many  years  there  have  been  published,  a  little 
everywhere,  a  series  of  books,  pamphlets,  or  articles, 
which  might  lead  public  opinion  astray.  The  writers 
have  discussed  the  slightest  acts  of  a  Sovereign 
whose  misfortunes  ought  to  have  protected  her  from 
these  injustices.  They  have  scrutinized  her  life,  her 
projects,  her  most  private  thoughts,  and  even  her  in- 
consolable suffering  ;  and  they  have  invented  round 
her  name  base  stories  [Jtibles  de  has  etage]  which  have 
been  adopted  both  by  persons  who  have  knowingly 
forgotten  the  past,  and  by  those  who  never  knew  it. 

It  is  to  the  friends  of  happy  days,  those  to  whom 

*  This  triumphant  vindication  of  the  Empress  is  from  the 
brilliant  pen  of  M.  Gaston  Calmette,  editor  of  the  Figaro,  in  which 
it  appeared  in  1891.  M.  Calmette  now  (1910)  most  kindly  allows 
it  to  form  an  important  section  of  this  volume. 

283 


•JS4  t;:Mi'i;i->^  Ei'c;ENiE 

she  was  so  good  and  2renerx>us,  that  In^long^  the  dutv 
of  '.St  this  deluee  of  insults,  and  I  ask 

per  ..    ....-c  my  feeble  voice  to  re-establish  the 

iui.  ruth.     The  Empress  would  j>erhaps  like  me 

to  revive  a  jvist  which  is  buried  witli  her  dear  departed 
ones ;  but  I  am  sure  to  have  with  me  all  who  remem- 
her,  and  also  the  thousands  of  mothers  whose  sons 
and  dauirhters  were,  in  the  days  of  grandeur,  the  god- 
childreo  of  the  Sovereign  adulated  and  acclaimed  by 
all  Franctr  By  the  nobility  of  her  attitude,  by 

her  tact,  and  by  the  great  probity  of  her  life,  the 
Empress  Eugenie  attracted  the  sympathy  and  respect 
of  ail  Europe. 

As  to  her  son,  the  Empress  had  the  extreme  merit 
of  admirably  directing  his  education  ;  intelligence  and 
drmness  on  her  part  were  necessary,  for  she  had  to 
tight  against  herself  and  against  everybody.  The 
Emperor,  who  adored  the  Prince  Imperial,  was  very 
weak.  Everybody  dattered  the  child ;  there  were 
even  people  who  sought  to  make  themselves  asrreeable 
to  him  in  order  to  obtain  some  favour  or  other  from 
him  later.  The  Empress  knew  how  to  preserve  him 
from  dangers  of  all  kinds,  and  inculcated  such  senti- 
ments of  honour,  uprightness,  and  loyalty  that  of  this 
child  she  made  an  accomplished  man.  a  Prince  worthy 
of  the  highest  destiny  and  ready  to  fultil  the  highest 
duties.  Such  for  fifteen  years  on  the  throne  of 
France  was  the  woman  who  is  accused  of  egotism, 
parsimony,  and  intrisnies. 

It  has  been  everywhere  stated,  a  propos  of  the 
events  of  1870,  that  the  Empress  said,  "  It  is  my 
war  !"  but  nothing  could  be  more  untrue.  The  Em- 
press, on  the  contrary,  desired  peace.  I  can  say  this 
of  my  own  personal  knowledge.     And  the  Emperor 


THE  "CASE"  FOR  THE  EMPRESS       255 

and  his  Government  wished  verv  sincerely  to  avoid  a 
conflagration.  But  ever  since  1866  the  Opposition 
had  represented  France  as  humiliated  by  Prussia,  and 
as  vanquished  at  Sadowa.  and  that  opinion  spreading 
made  it  imperative  that  France  should  take  up  the 
g:auntlet.  pronouncing"  in  favour  of  war  with  a  tumul- 
tuous energy  which  nobody  has  forgotten.  If  the 
most  ardent  promoters  of  this  movement  have  declined, 
since  our  reverses,  the  responsibility  of  their  attitude 
in  order  to  throw  the  blame  upon  the  Empress, 
historv  will  have  none  of  such  partialities  :  besides, 
the  newspapers  of  all  opinions  which  were  published 
in  July,  1870,  and  the  official  report  of  the  proceed- 
ings in  the  Corps  Legislatif.  establish  beyond  all 
manner  of  doubt  that  the  inhabitants  of  Paris  desired 
the  war  :  indeed,  so  great  was  the  feverish  exaltation 
in  the  midst  of  which  our  troops  left  the  capital,  that. 
when  the  time  came  for  the  Emperor  to  leave  in  order 
to  join  the  armv.  he  took  the  precaution  not  to  pass 
through  Paris. 

The  Empress  never  approved  of  that  unreflecting 
enthusiasm  which  took  possession  of  all  minds.  Her 
emotion  was  great  and  deep  durins:  the  whole  of  these 
warlike  manifestations  of  a  populace  in  a  state  of 
delirium  :  and  a  historian.  M.  Rothan.  who  has  never 
been  a  warm  partisan  of  the  Empire,  has  admitted 
that,  if  the  Empress  was  a  victim  of  these  warlike 
passions,  she  never  shared  them.  "  What  is  certain."' 
declares  M.  Rothan.  **  is  that,  at  the  termination  of 
the  proceedings  of  the  Council  which  had  met  to 
decide  as  to  the  fate  of  France  and  the  dynasty,  the 
Empress  anxiously  asked  M.  de  Parien  what  he 
thought  of  the  decisions  arrived  at.'"  "  I  think, 
Madame, '  replied   the   President    of    the    Council  of 


286  F.ATPriKRR  FJ'OF.NTE 

Stat(\  "that  if  I\iiLLl:ni(l  would  t()-nH)rr<~>w  tind  a  nioanfl 
of  our  avoidiiiii  war,  she  would  have  deserved  well  of 
Prance.  "  '*  I  am  (|uite  of  vour  opinion,"  answered 
tlie  Kin))ress. 

P'roni  tlif  moment  when  war  hccame  inevitable,  she 
showed  iierself  verv  contident  as  to  the  result  of  the 
conflict,  hut  went  bravely  forward,  (h-caminu"  of  the 
jrreatness  of  France,  of  the  glorv  of  her  husband,  and 
puttinsj:  complete  faith  in  that  army  which  had  been 
victorious  for  eighteen  years,  and  wliich  had  been  led 
by  the  Emperor,  of  the  gravity  of  whose  malady  she 
was  i2:norant. 

The  consultation  of  doctors  and  surgeons  on  July  2, 
1870,  had  been  kept  secret  by  command  of  the 
Emperor,  who  forbade  anything  being  said  about  it 
to  the  Emjiress.  Had  the  result  of  that  consultation 
been  made  known,  many  catastrophes  might  have 
been  averted  ;  but  it  was  not  revealed  until  after  the 
Emperor's  death,  when  the  document  was  found  con- 
cealed amongst  the  papers  at  Chislehurst.  It  was 
signed  only  by  one  doctor,  Germain  See,  although 
Drs.  Nelaton,  Corvisart,  Fauvel,  and  Ricord  took  part 
in  the  consultation.  Besides,  the  diagnosis  was  not 
agreed  in  by  all,  and  Dr.  Corvisart,  who,  alas  !  ought 
to  have  known  better  than  anybody  the  Emperor's 
condition,  believed  that  His  Majesty  was  suffering 
from  nothing  more  than  neuralgia,  and  he  declared  to 
the  Empress  tliat  there  was  no  need  to  dread  any 
complications. 

The  Empress,  therefore,  had  nothing  to  fear  as  to 
the  condition  of  her  husband.  Her  one  aim  was  to 
protect  the  Emperor  from  the  insensate  accusations  of 
those  who  were  already  disputing  over  the  dehris  of 
the    throne.      What  most   hurt    her  was  the  absurd 


THE  "CASE"  FOR  THE  EMPRESS       287 

reproach  of  cowardice,  and  it  was  on  that  account  that 
she  prevented  the  Emperor  from  returning  from 
Chalons,  when,  after  the  first  defeats,  having  contided 
the  chief  command  of  the  armies  to  Marshal  Bazaine, 
he  wished  to  return  to  Paris  with  a  portion  of  his 
troops. 

"  For  his  honour's  sake,"  said  the  Empress,  "  he 
must  not  return  to  Paris.  He  must  not  abandon  his 
troops."  She  saw  the  Emperor  without  authority, 
without  prestige,  delivered  up,  defenceless,  to  the 
insults  of  the  mob,  accused  of  want  of  foresight,  of 
poltroonery,  and  of  cowardice,  and  she  made  up  her 
mind  to  turn  aside  from  him  this  stream  of  abuse. 
She  had  no  other  idea — she  never  had  any  personal 
ambition  ;  she  never  failed  in  the  most  scrupulous 
patriotism  that  could  be  demanded  of  her.  Adver- 
saries and  friends  alike  all  felt  it  their  duty  to 
respectfully  uncover  before  her. 

General  de  Chabaud-Latour  tells  us  what  the 
attitude  of  the  Empress-Regent  was  from  the  moment 
when  tidings  of  the  first  reverses  came.  He  says  : 
"  During  the  night  of  August  7  and  8  we  learnt  what 
had  happened  at  Forbach  and  Reichshofen,  and  I  was 
summoned  to  the  Empress's  room  with  the  Ministers. 
Using  the  noblest  and  most  dignified  language,  she 
said  to  us  :  '  It  is  not  a  question  of  saving  the  Empire, 
but  of  saving  France.'  " 

General  Trochu  even  confirmed  this,  for  on  the  day 
after  his  case  was  tried  he  wrote  in  effect :  "  The 
Empress  displayed  calmness,  character,  heart-senti- 
ments, more  French  than  imperialist.  1  will  do  her 
the  justice  to  say  that." 

The  constant  preoccupation  of  the  Empress  was, 
in  effect,  the  defence  of  the  country,  and  she  never 


288  KMiMn<:ss  Er(;F.xiK 

oeasod  to  i;i\r  rvrr\lni(l\  tlic  loftiest  .Mini  most  (lis- 
iiUt'ivstrd  advit'o.  "  ho  not  tliiiik  al)out  tlic  dynast  v," 
she  was  evor  savinu  ;  '^  occnjiv  yourselves  solely  with 
the  count rv.  If  1  hiliivt'd  that  hv  j?oing  away  I 
should  facilitate  the  defence,  I  would  uo  immediately." 
When  they  asked  her  to  s^o  to  Tours  witii  a  section  of 
the  Government,  she  replied  to  MM.  Ollivier,  Buffet, 
and  others,  who  could  hear  witness  thereto  :  "It  is 
true  ;  a  Government  luust  he  organi/.ed  outside  Paris. 
The  Chamher  will  go  ;  hut  as  for  me,  1  shall  remain 
in  Paris — my  duty  is  there."  These  were  not  mc'rely 
vain  phrases  ;  they  were  sup})orted  ))v  uncjuestionable 
deeds. 

When  they  were  thinking  of  reinforcing  Marshal 
MacMahon's  army  on  the  eve  of  Sedan,  somebody 
told  the  Empress  that  the  22,000  men  connnanded  by 
General  Vinoy  formed  the  guard  of  Paris,  and  that,  if 
they  left,  the  capital  might  at  any  moment  be  at  the 
mercy  of  a  demagogic  movement.  The  Empress's 
replv  has  been  faithfully  reported  by  M.  Henri 
Chevreau.  "  Once  more."  she  said,  "do  not  think  of 
me  or  of  the  dynasty.  Think  of  the  army,  think  of 
France.  What  remorse  we  should  suffer  should  it 
ever  be  said  that  the  presence  of  these  22,000  men 
might  have  changed  a  defeat  into  a  victory,  and  that 
we  had  kept  them  in  Paris  for  our  personal  defence  ! 
Do  not  lose  a  minute.  Let  General  Vinoy  leave  this 
very  day." 

During  those  ever- to-be-remembered  days  of  Sep- 
tember 3  and  4,  1870,  when  she  was  struck  at  one 
and  the  same  time  as  Sovereign,  wife,  and  mother, 
hearing  coup-sur-ccnip  of  the  disaster  at  Sedan,  the 
surrender  and  imprisonment  of  the  Emperor,  the 
defeat  of  the  army,  the  flight  of  the  Prince  Imperial, 


THE  "CASE"  FOE  THE  EMPRESS      289 

the  rising  in  Paris,  and  the  approaching  break-up  of 
the  Empire,  the  Empress  maintained  the  same  attitude 
of  courage  and  patriotism,  of  disinterestedness  and 
sacrifice.  Two  facts,  and  two  only,  may  be  cited  in 
proof  of  this  assertion  ;  for  there  is  no  intention  of 
narrating  at  length  the  cruel  details  of  this  long 
Calvary. 

On  September  4,  prior  to  the  debate  in  the  Palais 
Bourbon,  on  the  question  of  proclaiming  the  decheance 
of  the  Empire,  which  M.  Jules  Favre  had  given  notice 
the  night  before  of  his  intention  of  moving,  M.  Buffet 
and  several  other  gentlemen  went  to  the  Tuileries  to 
desire  the  Empress  to  confer  all  the  powers  attaching 
to  the  Regency  upon  a  commission  of  five  persons  to 
be  nominated  by  the  Senate  ;  that,  as  M.  Buffet  ex- 
plained, being  the  only  way  of  averting  the  proposed 
motion  of  decheance  and  preserving  the  future  of  the 
dynasty. 

The  Empress,  pale  and  calm,  biting  her  handker- 
chief in  her  endeavour  not  to  lose  her  presence  of 
mind,  declined  the  proposition,  remarking  : 

"  The  future  of  our  dynasty  is  what  touches  me 
least  to-day.  What  I  have  suffered  has  been  so  sad, 
so  horrible,  that  at  this  moment  the  thought  of  pre- 
serving the  crown  for  the  Emperor  and  my  son  gives 
me  very  little  worry.  My  only  care,  my  only  ambi- 
tion, is  to  fulfil  tlie  duties  which  have  been  imposed 
upon  me.  If  you  or  the  Corps  Legislatif  should  be- 
lieve that  I  am  an  obstacle  to  the  ors-anization  of 
measures  of  resistance,  why,  then,  pronounce  the 
declieance  ;  I  shall  not  complain.  I  could  then  leave 
my  post  witVi  honour  ;  I  should  not  have  deserted  it. 
For  myself,  I  am  ready  to  face  all  danger  and  to  follow 
the  Corps  Legislatif  everywhere  where  it  wishes  to 
organize  resistance  to  the  enemy.     Even  should  that 

U) 


290  KMrKKS;s  RrCRNIE 

rrsistaiict'  lu*  lodki-d  (Hi  :is  iiupos.sililc,  1  tliiiik  I  should 
still  hv  useful  to  obtain  loss  nnfavourahli'  ((mditions 
t»f  pra^'e.  Vcsti'rdav  the  representative  t)t"  a  (ireat 
rt)Ui'r  (dlered  to  propose  luediatioii  1)\  neutral  States 
on  tlu'Si'  two  bases — the  inteu^rity  of  French  territory 
anil  the  niainti-nanee  of  the  imperial  dynasty.  I  re- 
plied that  I  was  disposed  to  ac(ej)t  mediation  on  the 
tirst  ])oint,  hut  I  eneruetieally  rejected  the  second. 
The  maintenance  of  the  dynasty  is  a  (piestion  whicdi 
concerns  onl\  the  coimtrx ,  and  I  would  never  allow 
an\  foreii::n  l*<»wers  to  interfere  in  our  internal 
arranuements." 

M.  Butiet  and  Admiral  Jaurien  de  I^a  Graviere 
were  hoth  present  at  this  interview,  and  could  confirm 
the  above.  While  the  Empress  was  speaking  she  was 
disturbed  at  least  twenty  times  by  the  arrival  of 
inessasres  tellinc]:  her  that  tlie  emeute  in  Paris  was 
spreadins:,  that  the  mob  were  breaking  the  eagles  at 
the  Palai->  Bourbon,  that  the  Revolution  was  imminent, 
that  the  mob,  with  shouts  of  "  Vive  la  Republique  !" 
were  demanding  the  declieaiice^  and  that  the  Chamber 
of  Deputies,  without  awaiting  the  return  of  M.  Buffet, 
was  going  to  ado})t  M.  Jules  Favre's  motion.  Other 
despatches  informed  her  that  nobody  knew  what  had 
become  of  the  Prince  Imperial,  and  a  telegram  from 
the  Emperor  said,  "  Yesterday  I  suffered  all  the  moral 
and  physical  tortures  that  a  human  being  could 
endure."  General  Lepic,  Sous-Intendant  of  the  Im- 
perial Palaces,  came  in  for  orders,  and  the  Empress 
said  :  "  Whatever  you  do,  whatever  happens,  I  will 
not  allow  a  single  shot  to  be  fired  on  my  account." 

Inside  the  Tuileries  all  was  confusion  and  tumult. 
All  in  the  palace  seemed  to  have  lost  their  heads. 
They  went,  they  returned,  they  lamented,  they  moved 
furniture  and  other  things,  and  they  escaped.     It  was 


THE  '*  CASE  "  FOR  THE  EMPRESS      291 

a  time  of  cowardice,  of  hideous  sentiments,  of  deser- 
tion, and  of  bitterness.  Despite  the  devotion  of  many 
of  those  surrounding  the  Empress,  her  agony  was 
terrible.  She  wandered  from  room  to  room,  praying, 
sobbing,  harassed  by  fatigue,  tortured  by  presenti- 
ment, neither  eating  nor  sleeping,  not  even  daring  to 
take  off  her  clothes  at  night,  and,  after  all  that 
had  occurred,  dreading  still  further  catastrophes. 

Then  came  the  supreme  disaster — the  invasion  of 
the  Chamber  of  Deputies  by  the  mob  and  General 
Trochu's  treason.  All  was  finished.  The  Empress, 
fearful  of  compromising  any  of  her  suite,  would  only 
accept  the  escort  of  foreigners  to  conduct  her  out  of 
Paris  ;  and  it  was  for  that  reason  that,  accompanied 
by  two  Ambassadors,  the  Prince  de  Metternich  and 
the  Chevalier  di  Nigra,  she  went  to  claim  shelter  from 
a  foreigner.  Dr.  Thomas  W.  Evans,  the  American 
dentist,  of  whose  devotion  she  felt  assured.  This 
was  her  last  political  act  in  France  :  it  was  not  the 
least  disinterested  one  or  the  least  elevated. 

In  the  land  of  exile,  at  Hastings,  the  Empress's 
first  thought  was  of  her  country.  She  wrote  to  the 
Emperor  of  Russia,  then  to  the  Emperor  of  Austria, 
to  interest  them,  not  in  the  cause  of  the  Empire,  but  in 
the  cause  of  France  ;  and  she  begged  both  to  transfer 
the  sympathy  which  they  showed  her  to  the  men  of 
the  Government  of  September — those  who  had  taken 
her  crown  and  chased  her  from  her  palace.  It  was 
for  them  that  she  solicited,  for  them  that  she 
implored,  because  in  them  she  still  saw  France,  and 
because  the  French  flag,  even  in  their  hands,  was 
dear  to  her.  "  Let  God  only  give  a  victory  to  the 
Army  of  the  Loire,"  she  wrote,  "  and  it  will  console 
me  for  all  our  misfortunes." 

19—2 


292  KM  PRESS  KrOENlE 

Further,  it  was  ii|>oii  \\vv  express  tleniaiul,  addressed 
to  the  Tsar  on  S(.'j)tenil)er  lli,  and  tliaiiks  to  the  direct 
intervention  of  tlie  Eni])eror  of  Russia  with  King 
^VilIian^,  tliat  (Jerniaiiv  eonsentetl  to  tlie  interview  at 
Ferrirres.  Tliis  littU'-known  (U'tail  cannot  l)e  denied, 
for  in  tlie  archives  of  tlie  Foreign  OHice  is  preserved 
tlie  text  (d'  the  despatches  exchanged  on  this  subject 
hi'twern  tlu'  National  Defence  and  General  Fleury^ 
who  reniaiiu'd  at  the  head  of  the  French  Embassy  at 
St.  ri'tersl)urg  until  Sei)teiul)er  24,  1870. 

In  thus  intervening,  the  Fmi)re8s  believed  that 
])eace  would  result  from  the  interview  at  Ferrieres, 
and  that  the  territory  would  be  preserved  in  its 
integrity.  The  trial  at  the  Trianon,  again,  revealed 
in  many  ways  how  disinterestedly  the  Empress 
seconded  the  views  of  the  Tours  Government,  and 
with  what  disdain  she  repelled  all  suggestions  of 
personal  interest.  After  the  proceedings  at  the 
Trianon,  the  Commissary  of  the  Government  rendered 
tliis  solemn  homage  to  the  patriotic  abnegation  of 
the  Empress  Eugenie :  "  We  render  homage  to  the 
generous  efforts  of  the  Empress  in  favour  of  the  Army 
of  Metz,  and  we  recognize  the  elevated  patriotism  of 
that  woman  who,  refusing  to  treat,  as  she  was  urged 
to  do,  despite  the  griefs  of  exile  and  immense  regrets, 
understood  better  than  Marshal  Bazaine  the  laws  of 
duty,  honour,  and  abnegation  in  respect  of  the 
interests  of  the  country." 

The  most  cruel  misfortunes  awaited  the  Empress 
in  the  land  of  exile.  After  the  Emperor  Napoleon's 
death  came  that  of  the  Prince  Imperial,  in  whom  she 
had  put  her  last  hopes  ;  but  even  that  great  grief  did 
not  disarm  her  enemies,  since  they  sought  to  attribute 
the  catastrophe  in  Zululand  to  the  mother's  avarice. 


THE  "CASE"  FOR  THE  EMPRESS      293 

What  a  monstrous  accusation  !  How  inept !  It  was 
attributing  the  most  vulgar  motive  to  a  most  chival- 
rous act.  The  Prince  Imperial's  tastes  could  not  have 
been  simpler  ;  he  led  the  calmest  and  most  retired  of 
lives.  He  had  rooms  at  the  Royal  Military  Academy 
at  Woolwich.  The  Empress  had  also  taken  for  him 
a  house  near  the  school,  and  it  was  there  that  he  spent 
the  greater  part  of  the  year  at  work,  going  as  often 
as  possible  to  visit  his  mother  at  Camden  Place.  He 
received  very  few  people,  and  many  of  these  were 
interested  persons.  Even  those  in  his  entourage 
sought  to  exploit  his  too-well-known  generosity.  It 
was  more  especially  to  this  cause  that  we  must 
attribute  the  small  amount  which  the  Prince  Imperial 
spent  on  himself. 

He  gave  away  almost  all  that  he  received  from  his 
mother.  But,  even  admitting  that  he  had  had  need  of 
money,  would  not  Prince  Louis  Napoleon,  the  heir  to 
the  Empire,  with  his  boundless  credit,  have  found,  in 
twenty-four  hours,  the  means  of  borrowing  millions, 
if  he  had  wanted  to  do  so  ?  Money,  then,  had  nothing 
to  do  with  his  departure  for  Africa  ;  nor  is  the  motive 
for  that  act  to  be  found  in  any  family  dissensions,  for 
there  had  never  been  any  between  the  mother  and 
son.  The  exiled  Sovereign  lived  only  for  him  ;  both 
had  the  same  sorrows  and  the  same  hopes  ;  and  when, 
taking  advantage  of  the  Prince  Imperial's  sojourn  at 
Woolwich,  some  members  of  the  Bonapartist  party 
came  over  to  England  to  obtain  a  meeting  with  the 
Prince  unknown  to  his  mother,  in  the  hope  of  taking 
him  by  surprise  or  influencing  his  opinions,  his 
response  was  the  simplest  and  most  honourable  :  "  I 
will  see  you  with  the  greatest  pleasure  at  Chislehurst. 
I  go  to  my  mother's  every  Sunday." 


204  KMl'liKSS  KLCiENlK 

On  till'  fttntnirv,  wliat  is  true  is  tlmt  t\\v  Kni])ross 
houiTi'tl  \\vi'  son  to  rt'Moimcr  ills  projects.  I  iiToitu- 
imtolv.  sill'  \v:is  n(»t  ;ic(|U;iiMlt'(l  witli  tliriu  until  his 
ili'Hartiu'i'  \\a>  irri'N oi-aliU  drridrd  uj)ou  and  ollicially 
amiounred  l)v  the  I'rinee  to  his  eoiiirades.  (  )iife 
heforo,  diirinu"  the  Servian  iaHi])aii;ii,  the  Prince  had 
wished  to  take  part  in  the  operations  in  the  Balkans, 
hui  hi>  mother  had  jire\ cntctl  him  irom  doini;'  so, 
'*  TIkui  dost  not  heloiii;-  to  thyself,  Louis--thou  he- 
longest  to  thy  party,"  said  the  Empress.  At  her 
recpicst  Prince  Charles  I^onaparte  had  also  intervened 
and  opposed  the  project.  Rut  the  day  on  which  the 
Empress  learnt  of  the  expedition  to  the  Cape  tears 
and  prayers  were  in  vain.  It  was  too  late.  We 
know  what  happened. 

Deprived  ot  her  last  consolation,  her  last  hope,  the 
Empress  reminded  one  of  the  last  words  of  Bossuet : 
"  We  cannot  conceive  what  manner  of  tears  the  eyes 
of  Queens  can  contain,  and  what  depths  of  grief  there 
are  in  their  hearts  !"  The  Empress  showed  super- 
human courage  in  this  supreme  trial.  She  recon- 
stituted at  Farnborough  the  milieu  in  which  the  Prince 
had  lived,  grown  up,  and  ripened,  surrounded  herself 
with  relics  of  his  past,  and  huilt  a  magnificent  sanc- 
tuary, wherein  father  and  son  repose  side  by  side. 
There  the  (^ueen,  whom  she  calls  so  affectionately 
"  her  friend  and  sister,"  visits  her,  and  thither  resort 
the  faithful  friends  of  other  days  ;  but  these  expres- 
sions of  touching  sympathy  cannot  console  a  woman 
who  is  inconsolable. 

As  in  the  years  when  she  reigned,  she  has  remained 
the  providence  of  numerous  families  that  one  knows 
nothing  about  ;  and  if  to-morrow  all  who  have  been 
saved   by  her  would  raise  their  voices,  the  clamour 


THE  "CASE"  FOR  THE  EMPRESS      295 

would  be  great  and  touching.  There  are  those  who 
maintain  that  the  papers  found  at  Chislehurst  would 
crush  her  cruellest  enemies.  I  believe  it,  but  the 
Empress  pays  no  attention  to  attacks.  After  having 
suffered  so  much,  she  has  pardoned  everything  and 
everybody — explained  all  and  forgotten  all.  Her 
deep  religion  has  endowed  her  with  a  resignation 
superior  to  all  sadness,  and  furnishes  her  little  by 
little  with  the  strength  to  combat  worldly  ills  ;  and 
it  is  thus  that,  after  having  endured  unheard-of  trials 
— trials  which  nobody  in  the  world  seemed  able  to 
support — the  Empress  has  emerged  from  her  mis- 
fortunes more  courageous  and  more  worthy  than  ever. 
Let  all  good  people  salute  her  reverently  ;  let  them 
silently  respect  the  infinite  sorrow  which  will  remain 

with  her  until  death  ! 

Gaston  Calmette, 

Editor  of  "  Le  Figaro." 


('IIAITKR  Will 
THE  EMPKKOK  1M)KT1:AVS  THE  EMPRESS  "IN  HER 

trup:  colours  " 

'r<>-M«>i{i;nw  is  tlio  t"rtc'-(Ia\  oi"  the  lMii|)r('ss,  so  it  will 
tint  he  out  of  ]tla('t'  to  (lodicatc  :»  lew  lines  to  licr. 
Spanish  hy  l)irtli,  and  the  (lan<j;;hter  of  a  i^reat  patrician 
liouse,  some  pul)lie  ori2:ans  wa)uld  seem  to  take  every 
pains  to  represent  her  as  being  imbned  with  the  most 
intolerant  religious  fanaticism,  and,  in  fact,  with  all 
the  prejudices  of  nobility.  What  good  is  it  to  occupy 
one  of  the  first  thrones  of  tlie  universe  if  one  is  mis- 
understood in  this  wav  ?  A  short  sketch  of  her  life 
will  ])ut  her  before  the  public  in  her  true  colours. 
The  father  of  the  Empress  Eugenie  was  the  Comte 
de  Montijo,  one  of  the  few  Spaniards  who,  being 
inspired  with  passionate  devotion  to  the  Emperor, 
followed  him  through  all  his  campaigns.  Taking 
part,  as  he  did,  in  our  triumphs  as  in  our  reverses, 
and  crippled  with  wounds,  he  was  one  of  the  last  to 
combat  the  enemies  of  France  on  the  heights  of  the 
Buttes  de  Chaumont.  Retiring  to  private  life  on  the 
downfall  of  the  Empire,  he  kept  his  Napoleonic 
sentiments,  and  ere  long  his  liberal  opinions  made 
him  the  object  of  persecution  on  the  part  of 
Ferdinand  VII. 

In  18):)8  the  Comtesse  Montijo  came  to  Paris  with 
her  two  daughters,  and   placed  them  in  one  of  our 

296 


"IN  HEE  TRUE  COLOURS"  297 

largest  educational  establishments.  Brought  up  at  the 
Convent  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  she  who  was  one  day 
destined  to  be  Empress  of  the  French,  and  who  was 
then  called  the  Comtesse  de  Teba,  learned,  as  it  were, 
French  at  the  same  time  as  her  native  tongue,  Spanish. 
A  few  years  later  the  Montijo  family  returned  to 
Spain,  where  the  Count  died.  Left  under  the  wing 
of  their  mother,  the  two  young  girls  received  from 
her  that  complement  of  education  which  completes  a 
lady's  training  and  prepares  her  for  her  entree  into 
society. 

All  those  who  visited  Madrid  at  that  time  must  re- 
member that  hospitable  salon  which  the  intellectual 
leaders  of  every  country  would  seem  to  have  made  a 
place  of  rendezvous.  A  grande  dame  who  was  justly 
famous  for  her  intellectual  qualities  and  her  affability, 
the  Comtesse  Montijo  did  the  honours  of  this  salon, 
of  which  her  two  daughters  were  the  chief  ornaments. 

Ere  long  the  eldest  espoused  the  Due  d'Albe.  The 
youngest  was  remarked,  not  only  because  of  her  great 
wit  and  intelligence,  but  for  the  amicable  and  lovable 
qualities  of  her  heart.  Frequently  surrounded  by 
persons  animated  with  sentiments  of  a  different  epoch, 
her  precocious  intellect  prompted  her  to  reject  what 
she  could  not  approve  of  in  their  opinions  ;  and  whether 
owing  to  recollections  of  the  years  passed  near  her 
father,  or  to  the  influence  of  her  French  education,  or, 
finally,  to  the  power  and  vigour  of  her  own  personal 
convictions,  she  was  frequently  heard  in  intimate 
reunions  boldly  to  defend  the  cause  of  progress  and 
the  new  ideas.  Her  lively  imagination  sought  food 
for  these  noble  aspirations  towards  the  beautiful  and 
useful,  and  she  was  often  seen  poring  for  hours  at  a 
time  over  the  works  of  Fourier.     Her  friends  nick- 


298  KMPKKSS  KlUiPAMK 

nanu'ti  lu  r,  lauirliinLrl.v,  "  I^a  riialanstrrionnr,"  hut 
rviTVonc  adiniri'il  tlii>  vouiii;-  LC''"'  «•'  iiulitccn  wlio 
Nva>  to  Mich  a  dt'iii'ci'  mtcrostiHl  in  social  |>rol)liius, 
and  who  st't'UU'd  to  he  prcjtarinii'  hcrscll'  li\  stud\  and 
nu'ditation  for  sonu'  urcat  and  invstcrious  (h'stinv. 

Chu'  curious  incident  in  her  life  is  worthv  of  heing 
clironick'd.  Always  full  of  sympathy  for  those  who 
are  sutrerinu,  and  1)\  naliirc  fcclini;  c(tni|tassion  lor 
the  ojipressed,  she  was  inspired  with  a  secret  sympathy 
for  tlie  Prince  who,  a  victim  of  his  convictions,  was  a 
prisoner  at  Ham,  and,  notwithstanding  her  extreme 
youth,  she  hegged  her  mother  to  bring  him  some 
consolation.  The  Comtesse  Montijo,  it  is  said,  iiad 
deciiled  on  undertaking  this  pious  pilgrimage,  when 
her  plans  were  suddenly  changed  by  reason  of  un- 
foreseen circumstances.  This  lono^-sufferin^i:  Prince 
she  was  destined  to  see  a  few  years  later,  not  in  a 
dungeon,  l)ut  placed,  by  popular  acclamation,  at  tlie 
head  of  a  })owerful  State  ;  she  was  destined  to 
exercise  over  him  the  influence  of  beauty,  intellect, 
and  the  most  noble  sentiments  ;  she  was  destined  to 
associate  herself  with  his  existence  and  to  share  his 
destiny. 

The  Comtesse  de  Teba  has  not  been  lost  sight  of 
in  the  eclat  of  the  Crown  of  France.  The  Empress 
remains  a  woman  of  simple  and  natural  tastes.  After 
her  visit  to  the  cholera  patients  at  Amiens,  nothing 
seemed  to  surprise  her  more  than  the  murmur  of 
applause  which  from  every  side  greeted  her  courageous 
venture.  In  the  end,  indeed,  this  even  annoyed  her. 
The  lot  of  the  unhappy  classes  most  especially  is  for 
ever  exciting  her  interest,  and  she  likes  to  busy 
herself  about  what  are  termed  to-day  aeuvres  sociales. 
Everyone    knows   with   what  efficacious  activity   she 


"  IN  HER  TRUE  COLOURS  "  299 

took  part  in  the  reorganization  o£  the  prisons  for 
children,  in  that  of  the  Societes  de  Sauvetage,  and  in 
the  regime  of  the  charitable  institution.  She  founded 
the  society  for  the  advancing  of  money  to  children 
who  work  ;  and  how  many  generous  reforms  she 
is  now  pushing  forward,  and  with  what  marvellous 
perseverance  !  One  can  always  find  in  her  a  little 
of  the  young  "  Phalansterienne."  The  condition  of 
women  preoccupies  her  to  a  most  eminent  degree  ;  she 
endeavours  to  ameliorate  and  elevate  it,  and,  if  neces- 
sary, she  intends  decorating  Rosa  Bonheur. 

Twice  during  the  Italian  War,  and  during  the 
Emperor's  voyage  to  Algiers,  she  has  been  Regent, 
and  all  know  with  what  moderation,  with  what 
political  tact,  and  with  what  justice,  she  exercised  the 
viceregal  functions. 

When  in  private  life,  the  Empress  gives  herself  up 
to  serious  reading,  and  one  may  even  say  that  no 
question  of  economy  or  finance  is  unknown  to  her. 
It  is  charming  to  hear  her  discuss  these  difiicult 
problems  with  the  most  competent  authorities.  Litera- 
ture, history,  and  art  are  also  frequently  the  subjects 
of  her  causeries,  and  at  Compiegne  nothing  is  more 
delightful  than  what  are  known  as  "  the  Empress's 
teas."  In  these  select  reunions  she  will  discuss  with 
equal  facility  the  most  difficult  topics  and  the  most 
familiar  questions.  The  originality  of  her  views,  and 
the  boldness — nay,  even  temerity — of  her  opinions, 
astonish  and  captivate  one.  Her  language,  sometimes 
incorrect,  is  full  of  colour  and  verve.  Wonderfully 
precise  in  all  business  discussions,  she  rises,  when 
engaged  in  a  conversation  on  political  or  moral  topics, 
to  real  eloquence. 

Pious  without  bigotry,  and  highly  cultivated  with- 


300  EMPRESS  EUGENIE 

out  heinc:  ]HMlantic,  sho  telks  on  everv  topic  with  the 
greatest  (ifKi/n/ofi — indeed,  ])erliaps  slie  may  be  a  little 
too  fond  of  discussion.  Verv  (juick  hy  nature,  siie 
very  fre(juently  lets  herself  he  carried  too  far  in  the 
heat  of  argument,  and  this  has  more  than  once  made 
her  enemies.  Her  exaggerations,  however,  are  always 
the  result  of  her  love  of  the  good.  But,  besides  the 
clever  woman,  the  prudent  and  courageous  Sovereign, 
we  nuist  show  the  mother,  full  of  solicitude  and 
tenderness  for  her  son. 

She  wished  the  Prince  Imju-rial  to  have  a  manly 
education  :  she  has  a  full  account  i::iven  to  her  of  his 
work,  and  follows  the  progress  of  his  studies,  thus 
assisting,  as  it  were,  from  day  to  day  at  the  growth 
of  this  young  mind,  at  the  mental  development  which, 
in  the  case  of  an  heir  to  such  brilliant  prospects,  is 
the  guarantee  of  a  splendid  future.* 

*  Written  by  the  Emperor  shortly  after  his  marriage,  and 
published  in  Le  Dix-lJ^cenibre,  to  which  he  often  contributed.  The 
manuscript  was  in  his  own  writing. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE  EMPRESS  EUGENIE'S  "MILLIONS"  AND  THE 
EMPEROE'S  "FORTUNE" 

The  extent  of  tlie  Empress  Eugenie's  real  and 
personal  estate,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  illustrious 
lady  intends  to  apportion  it,  have  formed  the  subjects 
of  much  speculative  comment.  It  was  asserted  in 
1906  that  the  Empress  had  resolved  to  mark  her 
appreciation  of  the  friendly  relations  which  have 
always  existed  between  the  members  of  our  reigning 
House  and  herself  by  presenting  Princess  Ena  of 
Battenberg,  on  the  occasion  of  her  marriage,  with  "  all 
her  landed  property  in  Spain."  However  surprising 
this  announcement  may  have  been  to  the  widow  of 
Napoleon  HI.,  it  doubtless  caused  her  less  amazement 
than  the  statement,  "  under  reserve,"  that  "  the  Vicar- 
General  of  the  Jesuits  has  succeeded  in  inducing  the 
Empress  Eugenie  to  place  the  whole  of  her  fortune, 
amounting  to  £6,000,000,  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Church,"  represented,  in  this  case,  by  "the  Jesuits." 
Doubtless  the  Empress  is  rich,  but  the  number  of 
tliose  who  can  speak  with  knowledge  of  the  extent  of 
her  wealth  is  very  limited  ;  hence  the  misstatements 
published  from  time  to  time.  Wealthy  as  she  may 
be,  those  acquainted  with  the  Empress  know  her  to  be 
essentially  "  a  just  woman,"  and  are  firm  in  the  belief 
that  "  there  is  no  likelihood  of  her  alienating  any  of 

801 


30-J  KMIM;KSS   KlTOf.NTE 

\\cv  possessions  wliicli  oiiLilit  IcuitiuKitcly  to  pass  to 
the  Honapartos/'* 

It  lias  1)0011  assorti'd  1)\'  inaiiv  wlio  oiijovod  liis 
rrit.'ii(l>hii>  .Mon>iuiior  (locUlard  iiicludod — that  the 
rrinco  lui|K'rial  diotl  conijtarat  i\  civ  poor.  'i'hc 
amoinit  of  tlio  k'i::aL'V  uliicli  lir  iiilK'ritcd  from  the 
Comtossc  I>acio('('iii,  of  which  so  inii(h  was  hoard 
prior  to  his  (h-ath,  has  never  hocn  (livulu'ed  ;  the 
rriiicf  prohahh  tlid  not  derive  anv  pccnniarv  henetit 
from  it,  as  the  propertv  whi(di  formed  the  hasis  of  the 
leiCJicv  was  in  a  condition  necessitating:;  the  expenditure 
of  mnidi  of  the  income  upon  rc])airs  and  upkeep. 
When  the  Prince  died,  tlie  Baciocchi  property  passed 
to  the  Empress,  and  may  have  much  increased  in 
value.  Similarly,  the  Em})ress's  pine-forests  in  the 
Landes  hecame  more  valuahle  of  late  years.  Those 
estates,  however,  she  disposed  of  in  1905  for  a  sum 
stated  to  amount  to  £100,000. 

Before  the  Prince-President  hecame  Napoleon  TIT. 
the  property  of  the  Orleans  Princes  was  confiscated. 
The  decree  of  confiscation  was  signed  hy  "  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Repuhlic,  Louis  Napoleon,"  on  January  22, 
1852,  and  in  it  the  members  of  the  Orleans  family 
were  pleasantly  reminded  that  "  there  still  remained 
to  them  more  than  100,000,000  francs  (£4,000,000), 
with  which  they  could  sustain  their  rank  abroad." 
In  1816  Louis  XVIII.  had  made  the  members  of  the 
First  Napoleon's  family  sell  their  personal  property 
within  six  months  ;  and  in  18:^2  Louis  Philippe  acted 
similarly  to  the  Princes  of  the  elder  branch  of  the 
Bourbons.  When  the  property  of  the  Orleanists  was 
"  restored  to  the  domain  of  the  State  "  in   1852,  the 

*  This  opinion  was  expressed  by  the  late  Monsignor  Goddard  in 
a  letter  to  the  author  dated  February  20,  1906. 


H.I.H.    GENERAL   FKINCE   LOUIS    NAPOLEON 

(only    BUOTHER   of    H.l.H.    I'UINCE   NAl'OLEON,    THE    rilETESDER) 


I'liologi'apli  by 
li  (Assoniias  lie  Fgijlei;  St.  J'etcrsbiay. 


To  fiice  p.  302. 


THE  EMPRESS'S  "  MILLIONS  "  303 

dowry  of  300,000  francs  (^12,000),  which  had  been 
awarded  to  the  Duchesse  d'Orl^ans,  was  continued 
intact — a  graceful  if  slight  concession  by  the  Prince- 
President  Louis  Napoleon.  The  State  appears  to 
have  benefited  to  the  extent  of  £3,120,000.  The 
residue,  amounting  to  about  £1,600,000,  was  restored 
to  its  rightful  owners,  by  decree  of  the  National 
Assembly,  on  November  23,  1872,  the  Assembly 
voting  unanimously  for  the  restitution  of  the 
property. 

Why  did  the  Comtesse  Baciocchi  bequeath  her 
property  to  the  Prince  Imperial  in  preference  to  her 
own  or  her  husband's  relatives  ?  Perhaps  an  explana- 
tion may  be  found  in  the  following  facts.  Comte 
Baciocchi,  as  probably  few  are  aware,  held  a  high 
position  at  the  Palace  of  the  Tuileries,  and  was  in 
great  favour  with  Napoleon  III.  When  the  conces- 
sion authorizing  Fran(}ois  Blanc  (the  Pere  Blanc 
of  celebrated  memory)  to  set  up  his  "  tables  "  in  the 
Principality  was  granted  by  the  late  Prince  of  Monaco 
(Charles  III.,  father  of  the  present  ruler  of  the  little 
State),  the  acquiescence  of  Napoleon  HI.  was  neces- 
sary, and  Comte  Baciocchi  was  credited  with  having 
induced  the  easy-going  Emperor  to  refrain  from  put- 
ting any  obstacles  in  the  way.  Probably  M.  Blanc 
was  duly  grateful. 

The  Prince  Imperial  by  his  will,  made  at  Chisle- 
hurst  on  the  eve  of  his  departure  for  Zuliiland, 
appointed  the  Empress  his  sole  legatee,  and  charged 
her  with  the  payment  of  legacies  amounting  to  £64,000. 
He  left  £8,000  each  to  his  cousin,  Prince  Joachim 
Napoleon  Murat,  to  M.  Pietri,  Dr.  Baron  Corvisart, 
Mile,  de  Larminat  (in^  recognition  of  her  devotion  to 
the  Empress),  M.  Filon  (his  former  tutor),  M.  Louis 


304  KMlMvKSS  EUCJENIE 

Na]>oleon  (^onncaii  (son  of  l>r.  Conncaii),  M.Nnpok'on 
Ksjtinasst',  and  Captain  A.  l>i/.ot,  t\\v  tliivc  last  of 
wlioni  tlu'  Prinii'  dosrrilu'd  as  liis  oldest  frit'nds. 
Tlir  Princi'  also  l)r(|Ui'at lied  annuities  of  X4()()  per 
annum  to  Priiice  Louis  Lueieii  Honaparte  (wiio  resided 
in  London  until  his  decease  some  v ears  aii;o),  X  120  ))er 
annum  to  ^L  Haeiion  (ids  former  ridin<;-master),  £100 
jier  ainiuni  to  Mmc.  Tliierrv,  and  the  same  amount  to 
M.  Ihlmann  (i;room)  ;  and  he  expressed  a  desire 
that  his  other  faithful  domestics  mij::;ht  continue  in 
the  receipt  of  their  wa^es. 

The  will  of  Napoleon  ill.  was  dated  April  24, 1865, 
just  before  the  Emperor  left  France  for  Africa,  five 
Years  prior  to  the  war  with  Prussia.  He  left  the 
Empress  the  whole  of  his  private  property,  the  value 
of  which  has  never  been  publicly  stated.  To  the 
Prince  Imperial  the  Emperor  bequeathed  the  throne 
and  a  civil  list  of  .£1,600,000  per  annum.  After  the 
Emi)eror's  death,  the  circumstance  that  he  had  left 
no  more  recent  will  than  that  dated  1865  was  the 
subject  of  much  comment,  for,  as  it  happened,  the 
Prince  Imperial  was  practically  disinherited  by  the 
terms  of  the  will,  made  more  than  seven  years  before 
his  father's  decease,  at  a  time  when  the  possibility  of 
such  a  disaster  as  was  sustained  by  France  in  1870 
could  not  have  been  foreseen.  As  events  turned  out, 
the  young  Prince  was  left  by  the  Emperor  sans  le  sou. 
The  Prince  Imperial's  bequests  were  probably  liqui- 
dated by  the  Empress  out  of  the  Baciocchi  legacy,  or, 
supposing  that  to  have  been  insufficient  for  the  pur- 
pose, out  of  her  own  income,  which  was  increased  by 
the  legacy  of  the  Comtesse  Baciocchi,  to  which  Her 
Majesty  succeeded  on  her  son's  death. 

The  civil  list  of  Napoleon  III.  was  originally  fixed, 


THE  EMPRESS'S  "MILLIONS"  305 

in  1852,  at  25,000,000  francs,  or  £1,000,000,  out  of 
which  1,500,000  francs  (£60,000)  went  to  the  Princes 
and  Princesses  of  the  imperial  family,  amongst  whom 
it  was  divided  by  the  Emperor  in  the  manner  which 
he  deemed  fitting.  It  was  decreed  that,  when  he 
married,  the  amount  of  the  jointure  to  be  allocated  to 
his  consort  should  be  decided  by  a  senatus  consultum ; 
the  civil  list  was  not,  however,  to  be  increased  for 
that  purpose.  The  private  property  which  Napoleon  III. 
possessed  on  the  territory  of  the  Empire  when  he 
assumed  supreme  power  went  to  the  public  domain 
— became  merged  in  the  property  of  the  State. 
Had  there  been  no  male  issue  of  the  Emperor's 
marriage.  Prince  Jerome  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  cousin 
of  Napoleon  III.  and  brother  of  Princesse  Mathilde, 
would  have  succeeded  to  the  throne.  There  was  a 
time,  too,  when  Jerome's  chances  of  the  succession 
looked  somewhat  promising,  for  the  Prince  Imperial 
was  not  born  until  nearly  three  years  after  the 
marriage.  This  domestic  question  occupied  the 
attention  of  Sir  Charles  Locock,  the  royal  physician, 
when  Napoleon  III.  and  his  Consort  visited  Queen 
Victoria  and  Prince  Albert  at  Windsor  Castle  in  1855. 
The  statements  published  concerning  the  Empress 
Eugenie  and  Princess  Ena  were  founded  more  upon 
floating  gossip  than  upon  an  accurate  knowledge  of 
the  facts.  That  the  young  Queen  of  Spain  has 
always  been  a  great  favourite  of  her  imperial  god- 
mother is  natural  when  it  is  remembered  that  Prin- 
cess Henry  of  Battenberg's  close  friendship  with  the 
Empress  extends  over  a  period  of  nearly  forty  years. 
Both  Queen  Victoria  and  Princess  Henry  were  on 
the  most  cordial  terms  with  the  illustrious  exile  from 
the  date  of  her  arrival  at  Chislehurst  ;  and  with  the 

20 


306  KMI'KKSS  KlKiPA'lK 

]''in|iri>ss's  \vi(l(»\vli(UHl  in  1K73  tlic  honds  of  aft'ct'tionate 
Miupathy  hotweoii  the  three  increased  in  streng-th. 
(^>neen  \irtoria  atid  I'rinress  Kna's  mother  were  often 
at  (  hi>K'hiir.st.  and  hitcr  occasionally  at  I'anihorough 
Hill,  and  tlie  Kjn|)ress  visited  Windsor  Castle  at 
fairly  freqncnt  intervals.  One  of  her  most  memorable 
visits  t(^  \\  indsor  took  pKice  in  is;i4,  when,  with 
Prince  ^'icto^  Honai^irte,  she  dined  at  the  Castle,  and, 
for  the  first  time,  met  the  present  Tsar,  shortly  l)efore 
he  ascended  tlie  throne. 

During  the  lifetime  oi  the  Prince  Imperial,  the 
likeliliood  of  an  alliance  between  the  ill-fated  son  of 
Napi>leon  III.  and  Princess  Beatrice  was  mucli  dis- 
cussed ;  but  no  such  idea  was  ever  contemplated  by 
any  of  the  members  of  our  Royal  Family — certainly 
not  by  the  late  <^)ueen.  Gossij)  on  this  subject  gave 
rise  to  the  frequently  expressed  opinion,  after  the 
Prince  Imperial's  decease,  that  Princess  Beatrice  Avould 
not  be  "  forgotten  "  by  the  imperial  lady.  When,  in 
1905,  it  was  learnt  that  the  Empress  Eugenie  was 
interesting:  herself  in  the  matrimonial  affairs  of  her 
beautiful  young  goddaughter,  it  was  perhaps  natural 
that  what  had  been  formerly  said  respecting  Princess 
Henry  should  be  repeated  in  connection  with  the  bride 
of  King  Alfonso. 

Those  who  occupied  themselves  in  estimating  the 
extent  of  the  Empress  Eugenie's  disposable  wealth, 
and  in  crediting  her  with  the  intention  of  bestowing 
a  magnificent  (hf  upon  the  Queen  of  Spain,  may  be 
complimented  upon  tlie  fertility  of  their  imagination. 
The  Empress  has  lived  a  life  of  seclusion.  What  the 
demands  upon  her  purse  have  been,  however,  few  can 
say.  Many  relatives  and  cherished  friends  who,  had 
they  outlived  the  Empress,  would  have  l)enefited  by 


THE  EMPEESS'S  "MILLIONS"  307 

her  testamentary  dispositions  have  long  since  passed 
away,  amongst  them  being  her  favourite  niece.  But 
many  remain  ;  and  who  can  pretend  to  indicate  the 
channels  through  which  the  "  gold  hoard "  of  the 
imperial  lady  is  for  ever  drifting  ?  The  Church  has 
its  claims  ;  and  the  "  party's  "  requirements  cannot  be 
ignored,  although  the  possibility  of  a  restoration  of 
the  Bonapartist  dynasty,  in  the  person  of  Prince 
Victor,  appears  in  1910  to  be  still  somewhat  remote. 

In  Bonapartist  and  Royalist  salons  in  Paris  it  used 
to  be  openly  said  that  the  bulk  of  the  Empress's 
wealth  would,  in  all  probability,  be  bequeathed  to  two 
ladies — one,  the  Empress's  niece,  daughter  of  that 
Duchesse  d'Albe  who  died  before  Her  Majesty  left 
Chislehurst  ;  the  other,  Princesse  Anna  Murat, 
Duchesse  de  Mouchy,  who  was  widowed  in  1909. 
The  younger  of  these  ladies  has  since  died.  "  Anna 
Murat,"  now  a  very  wealthy  woman,  has  always  been 
a  great  favourite  of  the  Empress,  and  the  Princes 
Murat  have  had  a  considerable  say  in  all  Her  Majesty's 
afEairs.  Outside  the  imperial  entourage^  very  little, 
probably  nothing,  is  known  of  Her  Majesty's  private 
affairs.  The  administrator-general,  M.  Pietri,  is  a 
monument  of  discretion. 

As  recently  as  1907  the  following  categorical,  and 
purely  apocryphal,  statement  respecting  the  Emperor's 
private  fortune  was  published  by  one  of  the  Paris 
papers  and  widely  copied  by  our  own  journals  : 

The  great  firm  of  Baring  Brothers  had  been  the  bankers  of  Louis 
Napoleon  before  his  elevation  to  the  throne,  and  continued  to  act 
for  him  when  he  became  Emperor.  Every  year  Messrs.  Baring 
furnished  their  client  with  a  statement  of  account.  One  of  these 
statements  is  dated  1852,  the  other  1866,  and  they  show  the 
condition   of   Louis   Napoleon's   private   pecuniary   affairs   shortly 

20—2 


Wforo  he  l>ecAm<»  Kiupomr,  .'iiul  wlioii  ho  was  at  the  zoiiilh  of  his 
glory  four  ywirs  l>eforo  tho  wai-  which  dost royeci  llio  Kinpirc  and  iho 
dynasty,  aiui  «ont  Kimwror,  Kinpioss,  mui  Prince  Imperial  into  exile 
in  KngUnd. 

On  DeoiMubor  31,  185*2,  there  stood  to  Louis  Napoleon's  credit  at 
Barings'  just  10,000  francs  --  the  enormous  amount  of  .£760  !  During 
that  same  year  he  had  drawn  out  730,000  francs  (£29,200),  almost 
the  whole  of  his  li(]uid  assets. 

In  1866  tho  Kmperor's  balance  at  Barings'  was  £933,000,  re- 
presented by  the  appended  list  of  securities  (reckoned  in  francs) : 

Francs. 

Russian  Stocks  (5  per  cent.),  1822  ...  1,250,000 

1,250,000 

„      (3  per  cent.)     ...  ...  1,250,000 

Turkish  Stocks  (6  per  cent.),  1858  ...  2,500,u00 

Peruvian  Stocks  (4i  per  cent.).  Old  ...  2,000,000 

New  ...  1,300,000 

Canadian  Stocks  (6  per  cent.)  ...  ...  1,250,000 

Brazilian       „       (4^  per  cent.)  ...  1,250,000 

Egyptian       „      (7  per  cent.)  ...  ...  1,250,000 

American      „      (8  per  cent.)  ...  ...  2,500,000 

Mississippi    „       (6  per  cent.) ...  ...  625,000 

Diamonds  ...             ...             ...  ...  5,000,000 

Uniforms    ...             ...             ...  ...  400,000 

Beaujon  (mortgage)  ...             ...  ...  1,500,000 

23,325,000 

In  the  late  Mr.  Archibald  Forbes's  "  Life  of 
Napoleon  III. "  a  somewhat  similar,  and,  as  will  be 
seen  below,  entirely  inaccurate,  calculation  of  the 
Emperor's  resources  is  given.  The  author  of  that 
volume  wrote  : 

Among  the  papers  found  in  the  Tuileries  after  the  fall  of  the 
Empire  there  was  discovered  a  document  which  was  a  bank  state- 
ment from  the  bouse  of  Baring  Brothers,  of  London,  with  whom 
Napoleon  IIL  had  an  account.  According  to  this  statement,  it 
appeared  that  the  Emperor  in  1866  possessed  £15,000  in  Russian 
stocks,  £100,000  in  Turkish,  £130,000  Peruvians  (new  and  old), 
£50,000     Canadians,     £50,000     Brazilians,     £50,000     Egyptians, 


THE  EMPRESS'S  "  MILLIONS  "  309 

£100,000   Americans,  £25,000   Mississippis,   £200,000   Diamonds, 
and  other  items  amounting  to  £75,000 — in  all,  £882,000. 

This  statement,  no  doubt,  may  be  spurious,  yet  it  does  not  appear 
that  anyone  could  have  been  interested  in  regarding  it  as  such. 
Assuming  it  to  be  genuine,  with  his  Civil  List  on  a  great  scale, 
unimpaired.  Napoleon  could  have  had  no  motive  in  dissipating  this 
huge  total  of  assets.  Between  nearly  a  million  sterling  and  the 
modest  £60,000  specified  by  the  solicitors  of  the  Empress  as  the 
estate  of  the  deceased  Emperor,  after  the  liquidation  of  the  claims 
upon  it,  there  is  a  great  gulf  fixed. 

Other  accounts  of  the  "  wealth "  of  the  Emperor 
had,  it  seems,  been  circulated  in  the  Press  within  a 
couple  of  months  of  the  disaster  at  Sedan,  for  on 
October  25,  1870,  Messrs.  Baring  published  the  sub- 
joined letter  in  the  Times: 

Sir, 

With  reference  to  various  statements  which  have  appeared 
in  the  public  prints  as  to  the  investments  of  money  said  to  have 
been  made  by  our  firm  for  account  of  the  Emperor  of  the  French,  or 
as  to  stocks  and  property  said  to  be  held  by  us  for  his  account,  we 
deem  it  right  to  state,  through  the  medium  of  your  journal,  that  at 
no  time  have  we  made  any  investments  for  account  of  the  Emperor, 
and  that  we  do  not  hold  any  stocks  or  objects  of  value  for  his 
account.  We  shall  therefore  feel  obliged  to  you  for  the  insertion 
of  this  letter,  and  beg  to  subscribe  ourselves. 

Your  obedient  servants. 

Baring  Brothers. 

The  Emperor  died  on  January  9,  1873,  and  on 
April  27  Messrs.  Markby,  Parry,  and  Stewart, 
solicitors,  37,  Coleman  Street,  wrote  to  the  daily 
papers  as  follows  : 

"  The  estate  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon  III.  has  been 
sworn  under  £120,000  ;  but  it  is  right  to  state  that 
this  sum  is  subject  to  claims  which  will  reduce  the 
amount  actually  received   by  the  administratrix   [the 


310  KMrivKss  KrcRNIK 

Kmprt'S.s    Kiiiii'iiii']    to    Mliout    onc-liaU'    «»r     tlic    sum 
iianu'd." 

IW'forc  lur  (li'|i:ii-t  lire  Ti-oin  tlic  Tuilcrit'S,  tlic 
Km|>n'ss,  acting  ('M  the  urgent  advice  of  I'riiui'  Mettor- 
iiicli,  tlu'  Aii>trian  Ambassador,  wisely  alh)\vc'd  must  of 
lu*r  jirivatc  valiial)lcs  to  l)c  drspatrlicd  to  Kiii;laiid,  to 
jUH'Vciit  tlu'iii  iiom  ralliiii;  into  tlic  hands  cd'  tlic  rahid 
iiiol).  Ill  March,  1S7-,  tluTi'  was  sold  hy  auction  at 
Christie's  a  (juantity  of  jewels,  tlesciihed  as  "the 
|)ro|»erty  of  a  distiiiuiiished  personage" — in  realit\ 
the  Kmpress.  In  all  there  were  1 21-J  lots,  which 
realized  about  £')0,000.  A  marciuise  ring,  with  a 
pink  diamond,  surrounded  by  ])rilliants,  had  once 
belonged  to  the  Kmj)ress  Jose])hine.  A  watch  realized 
£l,(i6U  ;  a  brooch,  in  the  form  of  an  anchor,  and  a 
companion  brooch,  £2,150  ;  a  necklace  composed  of 
forty-one  large  pearls,  £2,400  ;  a  brooch  with  a  line 
emerald,  and  one  with  a  square  emerald,  5,000  guineas  ; 
a  brooch  with  emerald  centre,  £o,525  ;  a  tiara, 
£2,G25  ;  three  brilliant  ])endants,  2, GOO  guineas  ;  a 
bracelet,  £2,250  ;  and  a  pair  of  long  earrings, 
brilliants,  £3,255. 

Reminiscences  of  imperial  splendours  were  evoked 
in  the  autumn  of  1909  by  the  appearance,  in  the 
window  of  a  Regent  Street  jeweller,  of  a  diamond 
tiara  "formerly  the  property  of  the  Empress 
Eugenie." 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  EMPRESS  IN  FRANCE 

When  the  Empress  is  in  France,  she  is  as  a  rule  free 
from  newspaper  comment,  and  it  is  only  at  infrequent 
intervals  that  her  name  is  mentioned  in  the  journals. 
A  brief  announcement  that  she  has  arrived  at,  or 
departed  from,  the  Hotel  Continental,  which  she  has 
made  her  Paris  home  for  many  years — that  is  all  that 
is  heard  of  her  by  the  public.  The  Government  is 
apparently  quite  indiiferent  respecting  the  length  of 
her  stay  ;  it  might  seemingly  be  permanent,  if  she 
chose.  Probably  the  sea-green  incorruptibles  of  the 
Third  Republic  are  not  entirely  oblivious  of  the  fact 
that  the  relict  of  Napoleon  IH.  has  some  powerful 
friends  on  the  Dover  side  of  the  Channel.  M.  Fal- 
lieres  and  M.  Clemenceau  know  this  better  than  all 
others.  More  than  this,  they  are  fully  conscious  that 
the  venerable  lady  who  may  occasionally  be  seen 
taking  the  air  in  the  Tuileries  gardens,  or  counting 
her  beads  at  St.  Roch,  is  no  more  a  danger  to  the 
State  than  are  the  toddling  babies  and  their  bonnes. 

One  of  the  most  public  appearances  made  in  Paris 
by  the  Empress  since  her  exile  was  in  the  summer  of 
1907,  when  she  drove  to  Bagatelle,  "  the  Folly  of  the 
Comte  d'Artois,"  and  successively  the  property  of  the 
late  Marquis  of  Hertford  and  his  heir.  Sir  Richard 
Wallace,  where  she  inspected  the  pictures  collected 

3H 


\)\  till-  t'lu'r^v  t»l'  tlif  Socirtr  Natii)nak'  di's  lU'niix- 
Al•t>^.  Iltr  Ma  jcstv  stood  Itniij:  before  (^irolus  Diiran's 
portrait  ol  Mclaiiir,  ("omti'ssc  dc  I'onrtalcs,  one  of 
the  oliU'>t  of  licr  surviviiiu  friends  ;  and  ('liaj)liM's 
portraits  of  the  ( 'omtessc  i\{'  I, a  IJocliefoiicauld,  //^.r 
MailK -Nesle  (in  nvIioiu  mam  see  a  certain  I'e- 
staultlanrt'  t(»  (lie  inipenal  lad\),  and  the  ( 'onitessi' tie 
Kersaiiit. 

Wliat  memories  iniist  have  l)een  aroused  as  the 
Kmpri'ss  regarded  the  tine  ))astel,  hy  an  unnamed 
artist,  i>f  the  too-famous  Conitessede  Castiglione,  wlio, 
after  turning  the  heads  of  all  the  men  at  the  Tuileries, 
died  poor,  friendless,  and  solitary  !  The  portraits  of 
the  l)eautiful  Lady  de  Grey,  now  Marchioness  of 
Hipon  (one  of  Beraud's  greatest  successes),  of  the 
celebrated  tragedienne  Rachel  (wlio,  the  late  Lord 
Glenesk  assured  me,  was  not  su})erior  to  Sarah 
Bernhardt — and  he  had  seen  both),  of  Georges  Sand, 
and  of  Iloitense  Schneider  (the  original  Grand 
Duchess  of  Gerolstein),  claimed  the  Empress's  atten- 
tion ;  for  she  did  not  forget  that  all  the  wearers  of 
crowns,  and  all  the  Princes  and  Princesses,  wdio  were 
so  royally  entertained  by  herself  and  her  consort  in 
liSG7,  made  it  a  point  of  honour  to  see  and  applaud 
"the  Schneider"  in  Offenbach's  c/ief-cTosuvre^  then  at 
the  height  of  its  success.  The  fair  Ilortense  is  one 
of  the  few  survivors  of  those  palmy  days.  The  then 
King  of  Prussia,  who  three  years  later  received  the 
sword  of  Napoleon  IIL  ;  Bismarck  ;  the  Emperor  of 
Austria  (hale  and  hearty  in  1910)  ;  the  late  King 
of  the  Belgians ;  the  Tycoon  of  Japan  (who  is 
Emperor  to-day)  ;  the  spendthrift  Ismail  Pasha  (wdio 
"  went  broke  "  for  1:90,000,000)  ;  and  even  the  Sultan 
Abdul  Aziz,  who  took  with  him  to  Paris  the  recently 


THE  EMPRESS  IN  FRANCE  313 

deposed  Abdul  Hamid  (then  a  slip  of  a  boy) — all 
flocked  to  the  playhouse  to  hear  Schneider  warble 
"  Dites  Lui." 

The  Empress  seemed  unable  to  tear  herself  away 
from  the  contemplation  of  her  own  image  as  portrayed 
by  Winterhalter.  She,  however,  prefers  the  portrait 
by  Hippolyte  Holfeld,  and  most  artists  will  share  her 
opinion,  although  Queen  Victoria  considered  Winter- 
halter's  picture  the  most  faithful  of  the  two  likenesses. 
By  some  chance  or  other,  portraits  of  Napoleon  III. 
and  of  the  Empress  Eugenie,  both  by  Winterhalter, 
found  their  way  to  Strasburg,  and  were  there  sold 
by  auction  as  recently  as  March,  1909.  It  was  not 
until  she  had  made  a  complete  tour  of  the  rooms  at 
Bagatelle  that  the  imperial  revenante  departed.  As 
she  drove  through  the  Bois,  few  could  have  recognized 
in  the  white-haired  lady  in  the  black  dress  the  consort 
of  Napoleon  III. 

Again  was  the  Empress  much  in  evidence  in  June, 
1908,  when  she  spent  a  full  week  at  the  "Continental" 
on  her  way  from  Cap  Martin  to  England.  One 
morning  she  was  to  be  seen,  cheerful  and  alert, 
examining  the  "  Hundred  Pastels "  in  the  Rue  de 
Seze  ;  an  hour  later  again  at  Bagatelle,  the  attraction 
on  this  occasion  being  an  exhibition  of  historical 
portraits,  several  of  which  were  lent  by  the  Due 
d'Orleans,  whose  "  camelots'  "  antics  must  have  afforded 
the  Empress  not  a  little  amusement.  At  the  show  of 
the  pastels  the  Empress  had  met  M.  Dubufe,  and  had 
expressed  a  strong  desire  to  examine  the  portraits  in 
his  custody  at  Bagatelle.  M.  Dubufe — a  prominent 
Orleanist,  and  a  valued  adherent  of  the  Pretender  at 
Wood  Norton — gallantly  regarded  this  as  a  command. 
He  motored  to  the  Bois,  and,  when  the  august  visitor 


314  KMIM(ES8  KUCENIK 

arrivetiat  HauatilU',  rcoeivfd  licr  with  as  imicli  li(>niai!;c' 
as  if  nIu'  wtTr  still  a  iH'iuiiiiiir  Sti\ crrii^ri  or  the  consort 
of  tile  inidilK'-aucd  riliicc  who  aspins  to  the  tlii'onc 
once  (»(TUj»if(l  h\    Louis  I*liilij>j)('. 

Afconj|iaiii(il  l»\  ("onitc  (i.  l*riinoli  and  M.  I'ictri, 
thi'  Kmpri'ss  niadi'  a  Icisurt'lv  cxaininatioii  ol'  the 
works  which  liad  l)i't'n  drawini^  all  Paris  to  Bagatelle. 
It'  M.  l)iil)iif»',  her  cncvr.lopaidic  cicerone,  Her 
Majesty  contided  her  opinion  of  the  j)ortraits  ;  two 
|)artieularlv  interested  her,  for  they  rej)resented  the 
Due  d'Auniale  and  the  Due  de  Mont])ensier,  whom 
the  Kinj)ress  had  personally  known.  Besides  the 
portraits  <d"  the  ( )rleans  Princes  there  were  on  view 
some  of  the  works  of  the  great  sculptor  (yar])eaux  ; 
and  presently  the  Em])ress  was  irazino;  on  the  busts  of 
tlie  Phnperor  and  the  Prince  Imperial,  and  on  the 
medallion  of  herself  which  her  son  had  made  in  the 
sculptor's  studio.  The  bust  of  Napoleon  III.,  the 
''  Najioleon  of  the  defeat."  was  executed  by  Carpeaux, 
at  Chislehurst,  not  long  before  the  Emperor's  death  ; 
that  of  the  Prince  dates  from  the  last  days  of  the 
imperial  reign. 

Portraits  which  strongly  appealed  to  the  Empress 
(she  could  hardly  have  seen  them  previously,  for  they 
belong  to  the  Due  d'Orl^ans'  family  collection)  were 
Ary  SchefFer's  Queen  Amelie,  and  Isabee's  group  of 
Louis  Philippe  and  his  children  boating  one  moon- 
light night.  Napoleon  III.  and  his  consort  had  shared 
the  fate  of  the  King  and  Queen,  and,  like  the  Empress, 
the  King  had  escaped  from  the  Tuileries  in  a  cab  only 
four  years  before  he  was  replaced  by  the  Emperor. 
The  Empress  saw  likewise  the  portraits  of  the  baby 
Comte  de  Paris  and  the  Prince  de  Joinville  in  his 
naval   uniform  ;  and  yet  another  canvas  portraying 


THE  EMPRESS  IN  FEANCE  315 

Queen  Amelie  and  her  children.  Presently  the 
imperial  lady  came  to  a  lifelike  portrait  of  her  consort's 
cousin,  Princesse  Mathilde,  who  made  that  unhappy 
marriage  with  the  wealthy  Russian  Prince,  Anatole 
DemidofF.  This  picture,  by  Albert  Besnard,  was  the 
clou  of  the  exhibition,  and  the  Empress  seemed  de- 
lighted at  finding  it  at  Bagatelle,  although  no  great 
love  was  lost  between  the  two  ladies.  Pleased,  also, 
was  the  Empress  with  Cabanel's  portrait  of  her  old 
friend  Mme.  Carette,  who  had  been  her  "  reader  "  at 
the  Tuileries  ;  Cabanel,  moreover,  had  painted  the 
best  portrait  of  the  Emperor  in  that  Court  costume 
which  became  him  singularly  well.  And  there  was 
Carolus  Duran's  lifelike  picture  of  Emile  de  Girardin 
— how  well  the  Empress  remembered  him  !  Not  far 
away  was  RafFaelli's  study  for  the  portrait  of  M.  Cle- 
menceau  which  attracts  at  the  Luxembourg  ;  and 
gazing  on  this  canvas  the  Empress  must  have  remem- 
bered Clemenceau's  amusing  proposal,  shortly  after 
he  became  a  deputy  (in  1871),  that  Corsica,  the  hearth 
of  the  Bonapartes,  should  be  handed  over  to  Italy  as 
a  sort  of  etrenne  !  But  the  Clemenceaus,  father  and 
son,  had  suffered  pains  and  penalties  at  Cassar's 
hands. 

Those  who  chanced  to  be  at  the  Church  of  St. 
Roch  on  the  following  Sunday  (June  14)  witnessed 
an  unusual  spectacle,  for  the  Empress  was  present  at 
Mass.  Before  leaving  Paris  for  England,  the  same 
day,  Her  Majesty  received,  at  the  "  Continental,"  a 
few  of  her  most  intimate  friends. 

Cap  Martin,  which  the  Empress  has  made  her 
Rivieran  home  since  1892,  is  a  headland  covered  with 
forest,  some  two  miles  west  of  Mentone.  When 
Her   Majesty    first    expressed    a    desire    to    have    a 


:'ir,  KMPHESS   KICRNIK 

|H'rni:nu'iU  lioiiu'  on  tlic  shores  oi'  the  Mcditcir.'mcMii, 
tin-  Ministers  in  oMicc  (M.  ('Mrnol  hcini;-  l*i"i'sitl('nt)  did 
not  f.ivoiir  tlif  idt'M  ;  Inter,  liowevei-,  tliev  nave  tlieir 
et)nsi»nt,  iind  llic  l",ni|>ress  lost  no  tinu'  in  insl:illini;" 
lier>eir  on  (":i|>  Martin. 

With  lier  sojourn  at  \'illa  Cyrnos  in  tlie  sprinu"  of 
lyiO  tlie  Kiupress  entered  n|»oii  her  twentieth  eon- 
seentive  season  at  ("aji  Martin.  In  Mai'ch,  lSl)l,she 
arrived  for  the  tirst  time  :it  the  Caj)  Martin  Hotel, 
wliieli  lia^  no  superior  on  the  Mediterranean  coast  from 
Marseilles  to  .Mentone.  Her  .Majesty  oceujiied  a 
delightful  itjijKtrh'meut  on  the  first-floor,  and  at  the 
Cap  Martin  she  spent  the  four  following  winter 
seasons.  During  her  stay  at  this  charmingly-situated 
and  perfectly-administered  house  the  Kmjjress  pur- 
chased the  land  on  which  Villa  Cyrnos  now  stands 
from  the  i)ropriet()r  of  the  Cap  Martin  estate,  Mr. 
Geors:e  Colvin  White,  of  Ayr  ;  and  since  then  she  has 
passed  every  winter  at  this  deservedly  popular  resort. 

The  Empress  is  still  frequently  seen  strolling- 
through  the  picturesque  walks  on  the  estate.  Not 
seldom  she  enters  the  grand  hall  of  the  Cap  Martin, 
and  inquires  of  the  genial  general  manager,  Mr.  R.  C. 
Ullrich,  about  the  happenings  at  the  hotel,  in  which 
she  takes  the  kindliest  interest. 

In  1894  the  late  Em])ress  of  Austria  stayed  at  the 
Cap  Martin  while  the  Empress  Eugenie  was  residing 
there.  One  March  morning,  at  six  o'clock,  the 
Emperor  Francis  Joseph  arrived  at  the  hotel,  and 
almost  immediately  personally  requested  Mr.  Ullrich 
to  go  to  Villa  Cyrnos  and  ask  the  Empress  Eug(5nie 
when  it  would  be  convenient  to  her  to  receive  him. 
The  verbal  message  so  conveyed  much  excited  the 
Empress,  who  had  not  seen  the  Austrian  Kaiser  for 


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THE  EMPRESS  IN  FRANCE  317 

manv  years.  About  nine  o'clock  Mr.  Ullrich  conducted 
the  imperial  visitor  to  Villa  Cyrnos,  and  accompanied 
His  Majesty  upstairs.  The  Empress  came  out  of  her 
salo7i  into  the  corridor,  intending  to  meet  the  Emperor 
halfway.  The  Austrian  monarch,  with  both  arms 
outstretched,  hastened  towards  the  imperial  lady,  say- 
ing :  "  Je  ne  veux  pas  yous  deranger."  The  Empress 
was  overcome  with  emotion,  and  burst  into  tears. 
The  Emperor  took  her  arm,  and  gently  led  Her 
Majesty  into  her  salon^  where  hostess  and  guest 
remained  in  conversation  for  nearly  an  hour. 

It  was  during  one  of  her  periodical  visits  to  her 
Southern  home  that  this  incident  occurred.  For  some 
time  before  the  downfall  of  the  Empire  in  1870,  it 
had,  as  many  will  recall,  a  most  bitter  and  relentless 
opponent  in  M.  Henri  Rochefort,  who,  in  his  little 
scarlet-covered  publication.  La  Lantetme,  criticized 
and  reviled  Napoleon  III.  and  his  Court  with  unflag- 
ging pertinacity.  M.  Rochefort's  appearance  must, 
one  would  think,  have  been  known  to  the  Empress  ; 
but  I  believe  she  had  never  seen  him  de  pres  until,  by 
the  merest  chance,  she  was  brought  face  to  face  with 
him  at  Monaco  a  few  years  ago.  The  scene  of  this 
strange  rencontre  was,  curiously  enough,  the  balloon- 
shed  in  which  M.  Rochef  ort  was  discussing  aeronautics 
with  M.  Santos-Dumont.  "  As  they  were  talking,  the 
Empress,  who  had  driven  over  from  Villa  Cyrnos, 
unexpectedly  made  her  appearance  in  the  shed. 
M.  Rochef  ort  stood  stiff  and  erect,  holding  his  hat  in 
his  hand,  and  the  Enxpress  very  slightly  inclined  her 
head.     Neither  spoke." 

Faint  echoes  of  the  Empress's  annual  villegiaiure 
at  Cap  Martin  are  wafted  to  England  at  intervals,  and 
we  learn  that  this  or  that  royal  })ersonage  has  been 


318  empress;  ErOENTE 

spcniliiii:-  some  aurrcaMc  (l:i\s  at  ("vnius.  Witli  such 
stereotvjUHl  records  i*vrii  tlir  l*:iris  joiii-iials  wliicli 
daily  rt'i;alc  tlu-ir  roadrrs  with  the  items  known  as 
twnuhniitt's  fontt'iit  tlu'iiisclves.  Once  in  a  ilecatlc  or 
so  thoir  columns  are  thrown  wide  open  to  some 
hrilliant  impressionist,  and  then  we  get  in  harmonious 
prose,  whicli  jtoets  mio;ht  envv,  a  seductive  symphony 
of  the  "  Imperatrice  douloureuse  "  in  lier  Southern 
home  or  in  some  silent  city  tem])le.  We  may  not 
unprotitahly  pause  a  nu)ment  to  listen  to  the  rhythmic 
cadences  of  t)ne  of  tliese  liarmonists  :* 

Over  there,  on  the  shore  of  the  blue  sea,  in  the  shade  of  the 
palms  and  the  eucalyptus,  swayed  eternally  by  the  salt  breeze,  in 
the  perfume  of  its  violets  and  its  myrtles,  the  Villa  Cyrnos  has 
reopened  its  portals.  And  over  the  whitening  head  of  the  Empress 
the  pale  leaves  of  the  olives,  their  venerable  roots  twisted  in  the  red 
soil,  droop  in  salutation  once  again.  And  when,  towards  eventide, 
the  sun,  weary  of  pouring  all  the  day  his  splendid  vitality  over  this 
favoured  land,  sinks  behind  the  far-distant  summits  of  the  Esterels, 
in  masses  of  molten  gold  and  fiery  crimson,  there  may  be  sometimes 
seen  the  grave  silhouette  of  the  Sovereign,  leaning  on  the  ebony 
cane,  slowly  descending  the  flowered  terrace  leading  down  to 
the  sea. 

As  in  bygone  years,  she  Nvill,  perhaps,  at  this  silent  hour,  when  a 
great  hush  comes  over  all  Nature,  watch  the  waves  spending  them- 
selves at  her  feet  all  along  the  shore  which  they  lave  ;  and  the 
anemones  and  the  roses  of  the  parterres  gliding  down  to  the  blue 
waters  will  gather  yet  more  beauty  from  the  humid  air.  In  presence 
of  the  wavelets  melting  on  the  shore,  as  if  exhausted  by  the  voyage, 
she,  meditating,  will  perhaps  ask  herself  why  they  die  here.  Are 
there  not  other  depths,  other  oceans  as  vast,  thrusting  forward, 
without  ceasing,  billows  also  tinged  with  infinite  bitterness'?  But 
these  come,  since  many  day.s,  to  burst  upon  the  heart  without 
consuming  it,  without  letting  it  die.  Their  billows  do  not  fall  upon 
the  soul  like  revivifying  dew ;  they  leave  in  their  reflow  a  flood  of 
tears.     The   roots  which   they  bathe   no  longer  give  forth   fresh 

*  M.  Alexandre  de  Gabriac,  in  the  Gaulois. 


THE  EMPRESS  IN  FRANCE  319 

verdure.  No  sap  rises  to  the  dead  tree-tops.  Their  plaintive  cry 
does  not  cease  with  eventide ;  the  murmur  of  the  breeze  does  not 
equal  the  depth  of  their  sighs. 

Anon  the  scene  is  a  dimlv  lio;hted  church,  a  kneel- 
ing  figure  its  solitary  occupant  : 

Two  tapers  burn  in  the  gloom  before  Our  Lady  of  Sorrows.  All 
else  is  steeped  in  a  religious  shade.  Silence  reigns — the  silence  of 
the  tomb.  Without,  there  is  the  sound  of  tumult — the  great  roar 
of  Paris,  coming  from  the  Boulevard,  and  dying  away  at  the  portal 
of  the  funereal  crypt.  And  one  leaves  the  church  without  seeing 
any  other  visitor — only  this  Shadow,  draped  in  black.  Upon  the 
white  hair  the  widow's  veil.  Illumined  by  the  pale  gleam  of  the 
tapers,  and  detaching  themselves  from  the  heavy  folds  of  the  crape, 
are  the  regular  traits,  marble-like,  of  a  pure  profile :  the  silhouette, 
revealed  thus  en  passant,  of  the  august  visitor  traversing  Paris,  the 
imperial  habitant  of  Cap  Martin,  come  here  in  pious  pilgrimage,  at 
the  close  of  day. 

.  .  .  On  the  shores  of  the  Blue  Coast  the  cry  of  sorrow  remains. 
The  groves  of  Cap  Martin  extend  their  soothing  shadow  over  the 
pale  face  of  a  sorrowing  Empress.  And  sometimes,  when  the  sun  is 
sinking  behind  the  blue  mountains,  there  comes  into  view  a  majestic 
silhouette,  leaning  upon  an  ebony  cane,  pacing  slowly  the  terrace 
leading  to  the  shore,  pensively  questioning  the  expiring  waves. 

All  along  the  "  Blue  Coast "  there  is  no  more  capti- 
vating spot  than  the  little  peninsula  of  Cap  Martin, 
whereon,  by  the  grace  o£  the  Government  of  the 
Republic,  the  Empress  resides,  under  her  own  roof- 
tree,  for  many  months  every  winter  and  spring. 
The  august  chatelaine  of  Villa  Cyrnos  appreciates  the 
Cape  for  its  manifold  beauties  and  its  agreeable  seclu- 
sion, just  as  she  values  the  quietude  of  her  delight- 
ful Hampshire  home,  fringed  by  venerable  oaks  and 
tapering  pines.  Assuredly  she  did  not  require  much, 
if  any,  pressing  to  make  this  glorious  headland  that 
French  home  for  which  she  had  sighed  fully  twenty 
vears  before  the  realization  of  her  dream. 


:VJO  KMIMJESS  EUnp.NIK 

N;itiir;ill\ ,  \vli:it  fVci-\  new  \  isit(»i-  to  Caj)  Martin 
tir>t  iiit|iiir('s  alxtiit  is  \'illa  ( "vriios,  and  wliothcr  there 
is  anv  likclilioiMl  of  seeinii;  the  Knipross.  Those  who 
spend  a  lew  davs  at  the  Caj)e  will  certainly  eatch  a 
il-linij)se  of  the  <ireat  lady,  and,  should  she  he  walking, 
thov  will  he  suriirised  at  Hndina;  her  iinvthinir  hut  the 
'' deerepit  old  woman"  of  the  iniaii^inative  reporter. 
The  balmy  air,  the  soft  winds,  the  l)rii:^ht  sun,  and  the 
sparkliniT  sea  appear  to  have  rejuvenated  her  ])hysi- 
cally  and  mentally,  so  that  she  is  as  capable  of  dis- 
cussing the  world's  affairs  now  as  she  was  a  quarter 
of  a  century  ago,  when  she  was  in  her  autumnal 
prime.  She  talks  as  deli2:htfully  as  ever  in  her  native 
Spanish,  in  French  (but  that  of  course),  and  in  English, 
in  which  she  has  l)een  long  absolutely  proHcient.  She 
followed  events  in  Turkey  in  1908-9  with  the  keenest 
interest,  not  devoid  of  sympathy  for  the  deposed 
Sultan,  whose  overthrow  recalled  with  realistic  vivid- 
ness the  fate  of  her  consort  and  herself.  And  she 
saw^  with  a  certain  degree  of  satisfaction  the  triumph 
at  SoHa  of  King  Ferdinand,  the  nephew  of  her  ohl 
Orleanist  friend,  the  Due  d'Aumale. 

Since  Cyrnos  became  the  imperial  villa,  it  has  wit- 
nessed the  coming  and  going  of  more  illustrious  and 
notable  personages  than  any  other  residence  on  the 
French  littoral,  "  on  les  coeurs  epris  ont  toujours  vingt 
ans."  The  Emperor  Francis  Joseph  (despite  the 
painful  misunderstanding  with  Napoleon  111.  in  1870) 
and  the  murdered  Empress  Elizabeth,  the  late  King 
Leopold,  the  King  of  Wurtemberg,  Princesses  of  our 
own  royal  house,  Aml)assadors  and  Ministers,  eccle- 
siastical dignitaries,  the  Murat  Princes  and  Princesses; 
her  husband's  relative,  the  Dowager  Duchesse  d'Aoste 
(second  wife,  and  now  widow,  of  her  uncle,  the  one-time 


THE  EMPRESS  IN  FRANCE  321 

King  of  Spain — only  sister,  too,  of  the  Bonapartist 
Pretender)  ;  men  of  letters  and  of  science,  and  a  few 
of  the  fine  Jieur  of  our  aristocracy — these  are  only 
some  of  those  who  have  crossed  the  threshold  of 
Villa  Cyrnos  since  the  day  of  the  house  warming  nearly 
twenty  years  ago.* 

The  people  of  Cap  Martin  have  tender  memories 
of  an  imperial  lady,  not  of  the  House  of  Bonaparte, 
who  loved  to  ramble  amongst  the  olives  and  along  its 
shores,  and  who,  like  the  mistress  of  Villa  Cyrnos, 
was  cruelly  entreated  by  remorseless  Fate.  Crossing 
the  Gorbio  over  the  Elizabeth  Bridge,  you  come  to 
an  imposing  monument.  Olives  and  palms  environ 
it,  and  it  is  surmounted  by  a  bronze  palm-tree.  The 
Mentone  people  erected  it  in  1899  "to  perpetuate  the 
souvenir  of  the  sojourns  of  Her  Majesty  Elizabeth, 
Empress  of  Austria  and  Queen  of  Hungary,  in  1894, 
1895,  1896,  and  1897."  Another  Empress  often 
comes  to  gaze  upon  it,  and  to  murmur  a  little  prayer 
for  the  victim  of  Luccheni's  dagger. 

*  In  March,  1910,  the  "  Sovereigns'  roll "  of  visitors  to  this 
Rivieran  resort  was  lengthened  by  the  presence  of  the  King  of 
Sweden,  who  stayed  at  the  Cap  Martin  Hotel. 


21 


CHAPTER  XXI 

Tin:  EMPRESS'S  SUCCESSFUL  LAWSUIT  AGAINST  THE 

STATE 

On  May  8,  1907,  judgment  was  given  by  the  First 
Civil  Tribunal  of  the  Seine  in  the  case  "The  Enipress 
Eugenie  r.  The  Prefect  of  the  Seine."  The  decision  of 
the  Court  was  in  favour  of  the  august  plaintiff.  It 
was  announced  later  that  the  State  intended  to 
appeal. 

The  Empress  began  her  action  in  1875,*  so  that  the 
case  was  before  the  French  Courts  for  thirty-two 
years !  Her  Majesty  claimed  the  restoration  to  her 
of  "  objects  appertaining  to  the  private  property  of 
Napoleon  III.,"  basing  her  demand  on  a  Senatus 
Consultum  of  the  early  years  of  her  husband's 
reitrn. 

o 

The  Emperor's  "  personal  possessions  "  were  legally 
settled  on  December  12,  1857  ;  the  chute  of  the 
Empire  came  on  September  4,  1870,  two  days  after 
Napoleon  had  surrendered  to  the  King  of  Prussia  ; 
and  in  1875  the  widowed  Empress  began  her  action 

■*  Initial  steps  had  been  taken  by  Her  Majesty  soon  after  the 
Emperor's  death,  and  at  the  end  of  -January,  1874,  M.  Rouher 
came  to  Chislehurst  to  report  to  the  Empress  respecting  a  contract 
entered  into  with  M.  Magne  for  the  restoration  of  the  imperial 
pro  pert}'.  Up  to  March,  1910,  no  "appeal"  had  been  re- 
ported. 

322 


THE  EMPRESS'S  SUCCESSFUL  LAWSUIT    323 

"  to  recover  from  the  imperial  palaces  —  become 
national  estates  since  the  establishment  of  the  Third 
Republic — certain  property,  which  had  belonged  to 
the  Emperor  personally,  as  distinct  from  that  Crown 
property  which  had  reverted  to  the  nation." 

With  some  rare  exceptions,  all  the  inventories  of 
the  art  collections  in  the  various  palaces  were  destroyed 
by  the  Communards  in  the  spring  of  1871.  Despite 
this,  however,  the  Administration  of  the  Public 
Domains,  after  patient  research  extending  over  some- 
thing like  a  quarter  of  a  century,  was  in  a  position  to 
make  a  very  complete  catalogue  of  objects  of  art  and 
vertu,  housed  in  the  various  "  palaces,"  which  were 
admittedly  the  personal  "  goods  and  chattels "  of 
Napoleon  IIL  These  were  declared  by  the  Court  in 
1907  to  belong  to  the  Empress  Eugenie,  the  sole 
executrix,  and  the  Seine  Tribunal  ordered  them  to  be 
delivered  to  her. 

The  official  list  of  what  was  declared  to  be  the  sole 
property  of  the  Empress  contains  hundreds  of  items, 
mostly  of  great  value.  After  the  delivery  of  the 
judgment,  only  one  person  could  be  found  who  was  in 
a  position  to  give  a  coherent  account  of  this  cause 
ceUbre — M.  Firmin  R-ainbeaux,  the  sole  survivor  of  the 
representatives  of  the  Empress  in  the  liquidation  of 
the  objects  of  the  Civil  List,  who  for  thirty  years 
had  zealously  occupied  himself  with  the  matter. 
M.  Rainbeaux  supplied  documents  and  other  material 
to  M.  Jean  Agreve,  whose  ability  in  weaving  the 
mass  of  detail  into  a  comprehensible  narrative  (in  the 
Gaulois)  I  gladly  recognize. 

From  the  outset  it  was  stipulated  that  the  pictures 
by  David,  Gros,  Cabanel,  and  Meissonier,  although 
purchased  by  the  Emperor  with  his  own  money,  should 

21—2 


:v:4  RMPRESS  EUnflNlE 

not  W'  inoludt'd  in  llu»  ohjt'cts  U)  l)e  returned  to  tlio 
Empress.  A  jii(li];inent  delivered  on  February  12, 
I87l>.  ordered  the  accounts  between  the  State  and  the 
Empress  to  be  examined.  That  judixment  also  decided 
what  furniture  belonii^ed  to  the  private  domain,  and 
consecjuently  had  to  be  returned  to  the  Empress. 

Forming  part  of  the  private  domain,  according  to 
the  1879  judgment,  were  (1)  the  statues,  busts,  sculp- 
tures, and  pictures,  bought  by  the  ICmperor,  which  had 
been  deposited  in  the  Louvre  and  other  museums,  and 
had  not  hitherto  been  the  object  of  the  pldrernrnl 
foreseen  by  Article  6  of  the  Senatus  Consul  turn  of 
December  12,  l:s52.  (2)  The  pictures,  marbles,  and 
statues,  bought  by  the  Emperor,  and  })aid  for  out  of 
the  funds  of  the  Civil  List ;  which,  although  having 
been  placed  provisionally  in  an  imperial  house,  had 
been  inscribed  upon  the  inventories  of  the  private 
domain,  but  had  not  been  inventoried  as  objects  be- 
longing to  the  Crown,  and  had  not  been  labelled  with 
a  mark  indicating  that  they  belonged  to  the  private 
domain.  The  judgment  of  1879  informed  the  Prefet 
of  the  Seine  that  the  State  would  give  up  the  pictures, 
portraits,  and  other  objects,  which  were  of  no  interest 
either  from  the  artistic  or  the  historical  point  of  view, 
but  had  a  private  and  sometimes  a  personal  character. 

The  accounts  were  made  out,  and  it  appeared  that 
the  State  admitted  owing  the  Empress  2,287,205  francs 
(£91,493),  with  5  percent,  interest  from  the  beginning 
of  the  action  in  December,  1875.  This  decision  was 
not  accepted  by  those  acting  for  the  Empress,  who 
demanded  2,000,000  francs  (£80,000)  more.  This 
brought  about  a  deadlock,  which  continued  for 
twenty  years.  A  judgment  of  the  Seine  Tribunal 
of  January   12,    1899,  settled  the  pecuniary  matters. 


THE  EMPRESS'S  SUCCESSFUL  LAWSUIT    325 

The  Empress's  representatives  abandoned  the  claim 
to  an  extra  2,000,000  francs.  There  was  then  an 
agreed  sum  of  £91,493  due  to  the  Empress  by  the 
State,  plus  interest.  Her  Majesty  generously  re- 
linquished all  interest.  Nevertheless,  the  tribunal 
ordered  the  State  to  pay  the  claimant  £91,493  and 
5  per  cent,  interest  for  five  years,  or  until  the  money 
was  paid.  But  the  State  did  not  pay  the  amount,  or 
any  part  of  it,  and  the  judicial  decision  remained  a 
dead-letter.  The  Empress,  at  least,  hoped  to  have 
returned  to  her  the  pictures,  portraits,  and  other 
objects,  which  were  "of  no  interest  either  from  the 
artistic  or  the  historical  point  of  view,"  which  the 
State  offered  to  restore  to  her  in  1879.  She  once 
more  claimed  the  return  of  these  souvenirs,  and  on 
November  17,  1899,  consented  to  forgo  three  years' 
interest,  amounting  to  400,000  francs  (£16,000). 

Although  by  the  judgment  of  the  First  Tribunal  of 
the  Seine,  dated  February  12,  1879,  the  Prefet  of  the 
Seine  was  notified  that  the  State  was  ready  to  restore 
the  objects  in  question,  they  were  not  restored,  and  up 
to  1907  the  judgment  remained  httre  morte.  The 
Empress  knew  that  the  inventories  had  been  burnt  in 
1870  and  incompletely  rewritten,  and  she  requested 
the  Tribunal  of  the  Seine  to  examine  her  list. 

Amongst  the  objects  claimed  by,  and  ordered  to  be 
restored  to,  the  Empress  is  a  barometer  by  Grobe,  a 
reproduction  of  a  clock  of  the  Louis  XVI.  period  which 
is  in  the  Louvre.  In  1870  this  barometer  was  inscribed 
in  the  inventories  of  the  private  domain  under  the 
number  12,465.  Another  much-prized  object  was  a 
lady's  bureau  of  the  period  of  Louis  XVI.,  purchased 
by  the  Empress  with  her  own  money  at  the  sale  at  the 
Prince  of  Beauvau's.     This  was  numbered  13,437,  but 


3->r»  i:M1M{KSS  ErcENlK 

in  tin*  (.H)in>i«'  ui  thirty-seven  yeni*s  the  labels  had  dis- 
appeared. To  proceed  with  the  catalot^iie,  there  are  a 
musical  clock,  with  a  statuette  in  white  marble;  and 
a  piece  of  Gol>elin  tapestry,  representing  the  First 
Consul  in  a  red  coat,  after  Gros'  not  very  familiar 
picture.  Both  were  included  in  the  bequests  of  the 
Emperor's  mother,  Queen  Ht)rtense,  and  Napoleon  III. 
had  removed  them  from  Arenenberg. 

When  the  Musee  des  Souverains  was  formed,  many 
well-known  collectors,  possessors  of  historical  curiosi- 
ties, were  invited  to  lend  some  of  their  treasures  to  the 
museum,  and  by  the  side  of  these  loans  the  Emperor 
placed  in  the  museum  a  number  of  objects  which  figure 
in  the  catalogue  drawn  up  by  M.  Barbet  de  Jouy, 
inscribed  :  "  Belonging  to  the  Emperor."  In  this 
category  are  sixty-three  exhibits  —  arms,  saddles, 
clothes,  hats,  etc. — which  belonged  to  Napoleon  I. 
These  were  either  left  by  his  uncle  to  Napoleon  III. 
or  were  given  to  the  latter  by  private  individuals  ;  and 
amongst  them  are  the  bench  upon  which  the  exiled 
Emperor  used  to  repose  at  St.  Helena— the  gift  of 
Mr.  Baker,  a  resident  on  the  island — and  a  cane  pre- 
sented to  the  exile  by  Colonel  Barnes,  of  the  garrison. 

"  Belonging  to  the  Emperor"  also  in  the  Musee  des 
Souverains  were  a  portion  of  the  sword-belt  of  Pepin 
le  Bref ;  a  casket  said  to  have  belonged  to  St.  Louis> 
formerly  in  the  Abbey  of  Lys,  and  purchased  by  the 
Emperor  Napoleon  III.,  with  his  own  money,  for 
12,000  francs  (£480)  ;  a  window  and  a  fragment  of 
the  prison  of  St.  Louis  at  Mansourah  ;  a  casket  which 
belonged  to  King  Henry  II.  ;  the  cordon  of  the  Order 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  belonging  to  Louis  XVI.  ;  and  a 
box,  covered  with  painted  silk,  believed  to  have  been 
the  property  of  Marie  Antoinette. 


THE  EMPRESS'S  SUCCESSFUL  LAWSUIT    327 

Many  years  ago  it  was  decided  by  the  Government 
to  exclude  from  the  Musee  des  Souverains  several  of 
the  historical  relics  associated  with  monarchy,  and  these 
were  returned  to  the  lenders.  Thus  it  was  that  the 
late  Princesse  Mathilde  resumed  possession  of  her 
souvenirs  of  Napoleon  L,  which  she  bequeathed  either 
to  Prince  Napoleon  (the  Pretender)  or  to  his  brother, 
General  Prince  Louis  Bonaparte ;  while  to  General 
Petit  was  given  back  the  Fontainebleau  flag,  and  to 
the  Marquis  de  Turenne  d'Aynac  and  other  collectors 
were  returned  the  objects  which  they  had  lent.  The 
Empress  Eugenie  was  not  treated  on  the  same  footing 
as  the  other  lenders.  The  Prince  Imperial's  cradle — 
the  beautiful  work  of  Froment-Meurice — was,  it  is 
true,  restored  to  her ;  but,  at  the  request  of  Prince 
Murat,  she  lent  it  to  the  Retrospective  Exhibition  of 
1900.  When  that  closed,  incredible  as  it  may  seem, 
the  City  of  Paris  refused  to  return  the  cradle.  The 
Empress  thereupon  presented  it  to  the  Musde  Carna- 
valet,  requiring  only  that  it  should  be  labelled, 
"  Donnee  par  ITmpdratrice." 

At  the  Palace  of  the  Elys^e,  the  home  of  the  Presi- 
dent during  his  septennate,  there  are  seven  "  pieces  "  ; 
at  the  Palace  of  Fontainebleau,  fifty- three,  including  a 
book  given  by  Pope  Pius  IX.  to  Napoleon  III. ;  at  the 
Palace  of  Compiegne,  twenty-nine  ;  one  at  the  Trianon, 
two  at  Rambouillet,  four  at  the  Museum  of  the 
Louvre,  and,  as  previously  indicated,  an  immense 
number  at  what  was  formerly  styled  the  Musee  des 
Souverains. 

From  the  museum  at  Compiegne  will  come  one  of 
Daubigny's  famous  landscapes ;  from  the  Trianon,  a 
pastel  portrait  of  Louis  Seize  ;  from  the  Louvre,  a 
piece  of  Gobelin    tapestry.     Also  to  be  returned  to 


328  KMIMIKSS  Kr(^,F.NlK 

the  Empress  an*  two  swtncls  of  tln'  Firet  Emperor; 
the  hit  of  tlx'  rliar«,^«'r  wliich  he  rode  at  Waterloo; 
tlie  celebrated  ritlinijote  (jri.sc  ;  the  tricoloured  cockade 
which  a})peared  in  the  Emperor's  hat  when  he  took 
farewell  of  the  Guards  at  Fontainebleau,  after  signing 
hi8abdicati«)n  ;  two  hats,  one  of  them  from  St.  Helena  ; 
some  spoils  of  battle  which  the  conqueror  picked  up 
from  the  ground  near  the  Pyramids  after  a  battle  ; 
and  a  variety  ot"  other  objects. 

The  judgment  of  1907,  ordering  538  objects  of  art, 
etc.,  to  be  handed  to  the  Empress,  aroused  one  of 
the  leading  papers,  the  Matin,  to  frenzy.  In  an  article 
headed  "  Au  voleur  !  Au  voleur  !"  it  thus  amusingly 
expressed  itself : 

"  The  Empress  Eugenie  pleaded  against  the  Prefet 
of  the  Seine.  As  soon  as  the  judgment  became  known, 
that  judgment  which  hands  over  to  the  ex-Sovereign 
538  objects  from  our  museums,  the  reporters  hastened 
to  the  Prefecture.  There  they  were  informed  that 
nobody  knew  anything  about  the  case  !  The  Prefet, 
they  said,  was  proceeded  against  in  his  official  capacity. 
That  means  that  he  was  made  defendant  without  being 
defendant.  The  reporters  were  told  to  Inquire  at  the 
office  of  the  Domains.  They  went  thither,  and  were 
told  that  no  one  knew  anything  of  the  matter !  '  See 
our  lawyer,  Maitre  Denormandie.  He  is  a  charming 
man  and  tres  hien  elece.  Besides,  he  is  the  lawyer  of 
the  Princes  of  Orleans.' 

"  The  reporters  go  to  see  Maitre  Denormandie,  who 
is  furious,  and  tells  them  that  he  is  not  going  to  reveal 
any  secrets  to  them. 

"  Now,  finally,  what  Administration,  what  manda- 
taire,  has  put  itself  in  accord  {sest  mis  (T accord) 
with  the  Empress  Eugenie  in  order  to  deliver  to  her 


THE  EMPRESS'S  SUCCESSFUL  LAWSUIT    329 

538  objects  from  our  museums  ?  '  We  know  nothing 
about  it,'  says  the  Domains.  '  I  shall  say  nothing,' 
says  the  lawyer.  '  Ce  n'est  pas  moi,'  says  the  Prefet 
of  the  Seine. 

"  Yesterday  we  asked  the  Minister  of  Finance  what 
his  intentions  were,  and  if  he  meant  to  appeal  against 
the  judgment  given  in  favour  of  the  Empress.  He 
also  declared  that  he  knew  nothing  about  the  affair. 
He  was,  however,  about  to  get  the  dossier  (the  parti- 
culars of  the  case),  and  would  study  it. 

"  All  the  better  !  All  the  better !  But  what  a 
misfortune  that  no  one  was  found  to  study  the  dossier 
before  the  delivery  of  the  judgment !  It  is  a  question 
of  millions — do  not  let  us  forget  this  !  And  it  is  truly 
extraordinary  that  the  State  should  have  decided 
to  abandon  those  millions  without  the  Minister  of 
Finance,  or  the  Director  of  the  Domains,  or  the  Prefet 
of  the  Seine — all  three  the  guardians  of  our  fortune  — 
knowing  anything  about  it.  We  want  to  know  who 
instructed  Maitre  Denormandie  to  draw  up  an  agreed 
judgment  {iin  jugement  d'accord)." 

The  Matin  gave  illustrations  of  "  quelques-uns  des 
objets  d'art  que  I'lmpera trice  veut  nous  ravir,"  and  a 
few  weeks  later  returned  to  the  charge  in  the  following 
heart-rending  strain  : 

"  When  the  singular  judgment  of  May  8  was  made 
known,  we  alone  perceived  the  monstrosity  which  was 
about  to  be  committed.  It  was  then  that  we  ex- 
claimed :  '  We  are  going  to  be  robbed  !  Help  !'  We 
had  to  repeat  for  several  days  this  cry  of  appeal  and 
distress  in  order  to  get  the  Administration  to  consent 
to  hear  us.  The  State  is  now  going  to  appeal.  But 
what  a  singular  avoue  the  Administration  of  the 
Domains  retained  !     He  put  himself  in  accord  with  his 


830  i:.MiM:r.ss;  KrcENiK 

lepil  ('oii/rnf  on  tlie  other  side  in  order  that  the 
State,  wliich  lie  represented,  nii^dit  be  despoiled  of 
works  of  ait  valued  at  5.000,000  francs.  And  he 
denKiiidcd  the  con  tiiinat  lou  nf  a  judi^iiicnt  which  the 
State  is  now  ohliired  to  apjH'al  a^iainst  !  VViial  a 
sinijfiilar  itraiie  ! 

"  We  cried  '  Au  voVur !'  and  onr  voice  has  been 
heard.  .  .  .  ()ur  nuiseunis  will  not  now  be  despoiled. 
Those  riches,  those  relics,  which  an^  our  joy  and  our 
pride,  will  remain  ours;  they  are  saved."  [The  i\f(itin 
assumed  that  the  hoped-for  appeal  of  the  State  against 
the  judgment  would  be  successful !]  "  They  will  not  be 
scattered  about  amongst  foreign  collections  after  the 
death  of  the  Empress.  We  must  say  that  it  was 
not  to  carry  them  with  her  to  the  tomb,  the  edges 
of  which  are  already  brushed  by  her  mourning  veil, 
that  the  widow  of  Napoleon  III.  obstinately  demanded 
things  which  do  not  belong  to  her,  but  which  are  ours 
— ours,  we  French  people.  What  would  she  do  with 
them  ?  Offer  them  to  her  friends,  who  are  not  all  our 
friends  ?  Offer  them  to  Sovereigns,  present  them  to 
the  museums  of  other  countries  in  gratitude  for  the  con- 
sideration which  she  has  met  with  on  her  road  of  exile  ? 

"  By  this  unexpected  judgment,  arrived  at  by  an 
understanding  between  counsel,  abandoning  to  the 
plaintiff  the  objects  claimed,  which  '  are  not  family 
property,  which  neither  from  the  point  of  view  of 
history  nor  from  that  of  art  present  any  interest ' — 
the  casket  of  the  King  St.  Louis,  worth  200,000  francs 
(£8,000) ;  the  bureau  of  Marie  Antoinette,  worth 
500,000  francs  (£20,000)  ;  the  sumptuous  saddles,  the 
magnificent  arms  picked  up  by  our  soldiers  on  the 
battle-field — all  these  things  would  have  gone  from  us 
if  we  had  not  guarded  them." 


THE  EMPRESS'S  SUCCESSFUL  LAWSUIT    331 

But  the  Empress  has  been  long  in  possession  of 
many  other  treasures  and  precious  relics  besides  those 
which,  by  the  terms  of  the  judgment  of  1907,  the 
French  Government  was  ordered  by  its  own  tribunal 
to  return  to  Her  Majesty  ;  and  in  addition  to  those 
at  Farnborough  Hill,  detailed  in  a  previous  chapter. 

Li  May,  1906,  the  announcement  was  made  that 
the  Empress  had  presented  the  chateau,  or  villa,  of 
Arenenberg  to  the  canton  of  Thurgau,  that  the  build- 
ing was  to  be  transformed  into  a  school  of  agriculture, 
and  that  the  contents  of  the  chateau  were  destined  to 
ornament  the  walls  and  cases  of  a  museum  in  Switzer- 
land. It  was  at  Arenenberg  that  much  of  the  early 
youth  of  Napoleon  III.  was  passed,  and  his  filial  affec- 
tion had  led  him  to  collect  a  vast  number  of  pictures, 
objects  of  art,  relics,  and  furniture,  all  more  or  less 
associated  with  the  family  history.  Two  or  three  years 
ago  it  was  said  that  the  Empress,  "  indifferent  to  the 
souvenirs  which  bedeck,  with  a  melancholy  beauty, 
these  old  walls,  had  presented  them  to  the  canton  of 
Thurgau." 

There  were  at  this  chateau  of  Arenenberg,  which 
the  Empress  Eugenie,  since  her  exile,  used  to  visit 
regularly,  innumerable  souvenirs  of  Bonapartism. 
There  were  the  Empress  Josephine's  harp  ;  the  harpsi- 
chord played  on  by  Queen  Hortense — her  rocking- 
horse,  her  story-books,  and  her  music-books.  On  the 
walls  of  the  villa  a  prominent  position  was  accorded 
to  Gros'  celebrated  picture,  "Bonaparte  a  Lodi,'  and 
to  a  sketch  of  Napoleon  Eugene,  who  died  when  very 
young.  Then  there  were  the  portraits  of  Prince 
Eugene  de  Beauharnais  ;  of  the  First  Emperor,  by  the 
great  David  ;  of  the  King  of  Home,  of  the  Empress 
Josephine,    of  "  Madame   Mere,"   of    King    Louis  of 


332  EMPHFSS  EUrif.NTE 

Holland,  (^t  Mmt'.  (^ampan,  and  of  llu»  Prince  Imperial 
(painted  at  St.  Cloud  in  1870,  shortly  before  he  set 
out  for  the  war). 

There  was  to  be  seen,  too,  by  those  privileged  to 
ramble  through  the  chateau,  a  bust  of  Byron  ;  while 
strangers  gazed  cuiiously  at  the  camp-bed  used  by 
Napoleon  HI.  during  the  campaign  of  1870 — used, 
however,  very  seldom  ;  and  the  Emperor's  carriages, 
which  did  not,  1  fancy,  undergo  much  wear  and  tear 
in  the  month  of  August  of  the  "  Terrible  Year." 
There  was,  too,  at  Arenenberg  the  carriage  in  which 
Napoleon  III.  is  said  to  have  crossed  the  battle-field 
of  Sedan  after  the  disaster  ;  it  may  be  so.  .  .  .  The 
chateau  of  Arenenberg  is  near  the  llhine  and  the 
Lake  of  Constance,  and  it  was  here  that  Queen 
Hortense  died  in  1837,  and  that  her  son.  Napoleon  III., 
lived  when  he  held  a  commission  in  the  Swiss  artillery. 

Then  there  is  La  Malmaison,  which  since  1906  has 
been  one  of  those  museums  with  which  Paris  is  so 
largely  endowed.  This  charming  property,  so  rich  in 
its  historical  associations,  was  purchased  by  the  late 
M.  Osiris,  a  wealthy  Greek,  who  resided  in  Paris  until 
his  much -regretted  death.  M.  Osiris,  with  charac- 
teristic generosity,  made  a  free  gift  of  Malmaison  to 
the  State,  which,  however,  hesitated  to  accept  it, 
inasmuch  as  there  was  no  furniture  in  the  house. 
That  difficulty  was  soon  overcome,  and  in  the  month 
of  July,  1906,  Malmaison  was  thrown  open  to  the 
public  in  its  completed  state — the  noble  gift  of 
M.  Osiris. 

The  very  name  Malmaison  conjures  up  the  glories 
of  the  First  Empire,  for  here  it  was  that  the 
First  Consul  and  Mme.  Bonaparte  resided,  and  here 
that    the    repudiated    Empress    Josephine    lived,   sur- 


THE  EMPRESS'S  SUCCESSFUL  LAWSUIT    333 

rounded  by  a  few  faithful  friends.  Here,  one  reads, 
she  kept  up  the  semblance  of  a  Court,  "  a  poor  and 
pathetic  make-believe."  Here,  too,  on  a  stone  bench 
in  the  garden,  had  sat  Bonaparte  just  before  his 
departure  for  Elba.  Since  Malmaison  housed,  first, 
Napoleon  Bonaparte,  and,  secondly,  the  grandmother 
of  Napoleon  IH.,  Josephine,  who  died  there  in  1814, 
the  building  has  undergone  many  changes  ;  but 
now  the  original  furniture  is  there  "  to  speak  un- 
erringly of  Napoleon  and  his  deserted  consort,  and  of 
the  whole  family  of  Bonapartes." 

This  furniture  has  a  history.  Some  of  it  came  from 
the  national  stores  ;  all  of  it  is  closely  connected  with 
the  history  of  the  House  of  Bonaparte  ;  but,  strange 
to  say,  the  most  interesting  pieces  are  the  gifts  of  the 
Empress  Eugenie.  And  this  it  is  which,  in  conjunction 
with  the  imperial  lady's  gain  de  cause,  brings  Malmaison 
into  the  category  of  actuality ;  for  it  is  hoped  that  she 
will  transfer  to  Malmaison  many  of  the  valuable 
objects  which  the  First  Civil  Tribunal  adjudged  to 
be  hers. 

Some  of  the  furniture  at  Malmaison  was  acquired, 
at  various  times,  by  the  Empress  Eugenie,  and  some 
by  Queen  Hortense  (Josephine's  daughter),  mother  of 
Napoleon  HI.  This  furniture  and  other  priceless 
objects  were  placed  in  1906,  without  much  attempt  at 
order,  in  the  hall  adjoining  the  chamber  once  occupied 
by  Josephine  ;  and  amongst  them  are  a  bust  of  that 
lady  and  portraits  of  Pashas  brought  by  Napoleon  I. 
from  Egypt  after  his  campaign  in  the  Land  of  the 
Pyramids.  The  visitor  sees  a  small  mahogany  box  ; 
it  looks  uncommonly  like  a  receptacle  for  gloves  or 
ribbons.  But  it  was  much  more  than  that.  It  was, 
in  truth,  Napoleon's  private  casket,  which  held  some 


334  EMrnESS  EUGENIE 

of  his  most  secrt>t  and  rontldential  papers.  In  the  hd 
is  a  fiUl,  not  too  easily  perceived,  through  which  the 
documents  gHded.  There  is  a  lock,  cleverly  dis- 
siniiilated  under  a  small  steel  ornament ;  and  it  has 
been  well  said  of  this  imperial  box,  which  the  Empress 
Eugenie  must  have  been  loth  to  part  with,  that  "  no 
jewel-case  of  a  famous  lady  could  tell  more  secrets 
than  this  unpretentious  casket,  which  has  sheltered 
an  Emperor's  intrigues."* 

The  bureau  of  Napoleon  I.  is  one  of  the  valued 
curios  of  the  many  at  Malmaison.  It  is  in  mahogany, 
ornamented  with  bronze  figures  ;  and  in  it  the 
Emperor  kept  his  military  plans,  the  rather  fantastic 
scheme  for  invading  England  included.  Seated  at  this 
bureau,  he  prepared  the  campaign  of  1805,  the  end  of 
which  was  Austerlitz — and  "  'twas  a  famous  victory." 
In  frout  of  the  desk  you  may  see,  and  even  sit  down 
in,  the  chair  used  by  the  "  Little  Corporal."  There  is 
the  harp  with  which  Josephine  was  wont  to  solace  her 
ennui.  How  often  did  its  strings  vibrate  for  the 
benefit  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  the  artillery  Lieutenant! 
Some  of  those  strings  have  gone  long  since,  and  some 
of  the  golden  bees  and  stars  are  lacking.  Such  is  the 
"  atmosphere  "  of  La  Malmaison  to-day. 

With  what  gratified  surprise  must  the  Empress 
have  heard,  at  the  moment  of  her  arrival  at  Cap 
Martin  from  Ceylon,  in  the  first  days  of  April,  1908, 
that  a  portion  of  the  chateau  of  Malmaison  was  to  be 
devoted  to  the  immediate  formation  of  a  veritable 
Napoleonic  museum  !  M.  Jean  Ajalbert,  conservator 
of  Malmaison,  conceived  this  luminous  idea,  and  M. 
Clemenceau,  M.  Pichon,  M.  Dujardin-Beaumetz,  and 
other  members  of  the  then  Cabinet,  spontaneously  gave 
■*  Paris  correspondent  of  the  Fall  Mall  Gazette. 


THE  EMPRESS'S  SUCCESSFUL  LAWSUIT    335 

the  project  their  warm  encouragement.  A  strange  spec- 
tacle, indeed,  that  of  the  Government  of  the  Republic 
supplementing  the  venerable  Empress's  many  in- 
valuable gifts  to  La  Malmaison  by  the  addition  of 
other  Napoleonic  souvenirs  from  the  National  Garde- 
Meuble  and  other  depots  ! 


/ 


CHAPTER  XXII 

SORROWS  CROWN  OF  SORROW 

"  Demain  c'est  Moscoii  qui  allume  le  soir  comme  uu  flambeau ; 
Domain  c'est  la  vieille  garde  s'eu  allant  par  la  plaine ; 
Demain  c'est  Waterloo;  demain  c'est  Sainte  Helene  ; 
Et  demain  c'est  le  tombeau  !"* 

Napoleon  III.  found  his  Moscow  at  Gravelotte  and 
at  Beaumont — his  Waterloo  at  Sedan.  To-morrow  it 
was  Wilhehiish()he  :  "  Et  demain  c'est  le  tombeau." 

After  forty  years,  few  remain  of  those  who  filled  the 
great  parts  in  the  tragedy  which  humiliated  one 
Empire  and  laid  the  foundations  of  another. 

After  forty  years  !  There  is  one  who  remembers. 
What  does  she  see  as  the  panorama  of  the  past  is 
slowly  unfolded  ? 

In  the  council-chamber  of  a  palace,  an  Emperor  and 
his  Ministers  deliberate  with  anxious  mien  over  the 
proposal  of  a  neighbouring  Power  to  place  a  Teutonic 
Prince  on  a  vacant  throne.  Csesar,  worn  and  bent  by 
his  dire  malady,  is  all  for  temporizing.  Then,  to  the 
amazement  of  all  the  world,  the  veteran  King  and 
his  man  of  blood  and  iron  are  confronted  by  a 
declaration  of  war. 

The  boulevards  echo  with  frantic  cries  of  "To 
Berlin  !"     By  thousands  and  by  scores  of  thousands 

*  Victor  Hugo. 
836 


SORKOW'S  CROWN  OF  SORROW        337 

armed  men  pace  the  streets,  marching  blithely  to  their 
doom.  Caesar  and  his  child-son  depart,  and  a  beautiful 
Woman  presides  over  the  destinies  of  France. 

On  the  frontier  the  enemy's  helmeted  outposts  are 
driven  in  ;  the  town  on  the  Saar  is  bombarded ;  the 
red-trousered  host  occupy  a  corner  of  Prussian  terri- 
tory for  a  few  hours  ;  and  all  France  rings  with  the 
cry  of  victory.  And  the  poor  little  Prince  has  had 
his  baptism  of  fire ! 

A  battle-field — another — and  another  !  The  dogs  of 
war  are  all  unchained.  Up  the  Spicherenberg  swarm 
the  men  with  helmets,  to  be  shot  down,  mown  down, 
trampled  down.  The  plain  and  the  hillside  are  tinted 
with  the  blood  of  the  heroes  ;  but  the  invaders  prevail, 
and  the  Napoleonic  legions  are  slain,  and  routed,  and 
captured ;  and  so  the  scene  closes  in. 

Harvest !  The  golden  grain  bends  to  the  breeze ; 
all  is  ready  for  the  reapers,  but  they  come  not.  The 
corn  is  trampled  under  foot  by  the  fighting  men.  The 
orchards  are  heavy  with  fruit,  but  there  are  none  to 
gather  it ;  and  the  grape-pickers — where  are  they  ? 
They  are  on  the  hillside  at  Spicheren,  on  the  plain  at 
Reichshofen,  in  the  woods  and  vales  around  Beaumont, 
on  the  ensanguined  fields  of  Lorraine,  the  light  of  life 
gone  out  of  them  for  ever.  The  thew  and  muscle  of 
the  two  great  countries,  the  flower  of  an  Emperor's 
and  a  King's  armies,  are  lying  side  by  side,  and  the 
air  is  full  of  the  lamentations  of  the  widows  and  the 
fatherless ! 

August,  the  blood-month,  has  passed,  and  in  the 
autumnal  dawn  the  still  -  contending  hosts  are 
marshalled  on  the  hills  and  plains  and  in  the  valleys 
threaded  by  the  river,  from  whose  calm  bosom  rise  the 
silvery  mists  of  September.     September !  never  to  be 

22 


S'AS  EMPRESS  EUr.ENlE 

t'ors:;ott('n  hv  tiie  sons  and  dani^dittTs  ot"  France,  lor  it 
marks  the  overthrow  of  an  Empire  and  the  girdhng  of 
a  capital  with  a  hand  of  iron. 

Towns  are  ahhize.  Wherever  the  gaze  wanders,  it 
rests  on  wliite  faces  upturned  to  the  hlue  sky,  on 
stiri'ened  hmbs  shatteretl  by  bullet  and  shell,  on  the 
woundi'd  ^roaiiini;-  in  their  agony,  on  nigh  100,000 
captives — anon,  upon  an  Emperor  surrendering  his 
sword  to  his  "good  brother,"  the  all-victorious  King. 
The  white  flag  lioats  in  the  soft  air  over  the  citadel, 
and  the  heart  of  the  world  stands  still  as  the  electric 
thread  carries  the  words  of  defeat  and  victory  to  the 
uttermost  regions  of  the  earth. 

"  Nun  danket  alle  Gott !"  The  strains  of  the  hymn 
of  thanksgiving  mingle  with  the  shrieks  and  moans  of 
the  maimed.  Victor  and  vanquished  lie  side  by  side 
on  the  blood-stained  turf.  No  laurel  crowns  for 
them. 

But  the  end  is  not  yet.  The  conquered  millions 
must  be  made  to  drain  the  bitter  cup  to  the  dregs. 
The  victors  overrun  the  land  like  locusts.  Here  the 
highways  are  blocked  by  the  defeated,  trailing  sadly 
and  sullenly,  now  through  the  dust,  anon  through 
the  storm  and  mire  of  the  Slough  of  Despond  which 
leads — whither  ?  For  some  among  them  even  "  to 
Berlin !" 

Proudly  the  victors  march — to  Paris. 

-7?^  -7f  -TT  *  TT 

But  She  can  see  no  more. 

She  turns  away  from  the  picture,  her  eyes  dim  with 
tears,  her  heart  lacerated  by  grief  What  are  her 
thoughts?  Do  they  linger  on  that  fateful  day  at 
St.  Cloud  when  Ciesar  tore  the  Declaration  of  War 
into  pieces ;  when,  later,  he  signed  the  missive  which 


SORROW'S  CROWN  OF  SORROW       339 

was  to  plunge  two  nations  into  war  ?  Do  they  stray 
across  the  seas — to  the  meahe-fields  by  Ityotyozi  ? 
In  this  retreat  which  she  has  made  her  home  it  may 
well  be  that  she  strives  to  forget. 

And  in  the  Abbey  of  the  Benedictines,  on  the  verge 
of  the  pine- woods,  lie  Caesar  and  Ceesar's  son. 


22—2 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

HER  "GREAT"  YEARS:  1906—1910 
ISCHL,    BERGEN,    CEYLON,    MADRID,    IRELAND 

From  March,  1880 — when  the  Empress  voyaged  to 
Ziiluland,  and,  accompanied  by  General  (now  Field- 
Marshal)  Sir  Evelyn  and  the  late  Lady  Wood,  the  Hon. 
Mrs.  Ronald  Campbell,  and  the  Marquis  (afterwards 
Due)  de  Bassano,  visited  the  scene  of  her  son's  death — 
until  1906,  Her  Imperial  Majesty  lived  in  comparative 
seclusion  at  her  new  residence,  Farnborough  Hill, 
even  as  she  had  lived  in  retirement  at  Chislehurst, 
It  was  not  until  some  twenty  years  after  her  removal 
from  Chislehurst  that  the  French  Government  cour- 
teously permitted  her  to  reside  at  Cap  Martin,  where 
she  has  since  passed  the  late  winter  and  the  early 
spring  months — "  The  world  forgetting,  by  the  world 
forgot,"  or  nearly  so.  It  seems  unnecessary  to  with- 
draw the  veil  which  concealed,  or  at  least  obscured, 
that  period  of  the  illustrious  lady's  existence.  It  is 
with  her  public  appearances  from  1906  downwards 
that  we  have  now  to  deal  in  some  little  detail. 

On  May  5,  1906,  the  Empress,  who  was  then  at 
Cap  Martin,  celebrated  her  eightieth  birthday  ;  and 
in  July  she  visited  the  Emperor  of  Austria  at  Ischl. 
Her  reappearance,  after  her  nearly  thirty-six  years' 
withdrawal  from  the  public  gaze,  surprised  the  Courts 

340 


HER  "GREAT"  YEARS:  1906—1910      341 

and  Chancelleries,  who  learnt  that  the  Ischl  visit  was 
the  result  merely  of  a  birthday  letter  addressed  to 
Her  Majesty  by  the  Emperor  Francis  Joseph.  Prior 
to  the  tragic  death  of  the  Empress  Elizabeth  at 
Geneva,  and  later,  the  Emperor  had  been  received  at 
Villa  Cyrnos  ;  and  in  his  interesting  volume  of  reminis- 
cences, "  Leurs  Majestes,"  which  began  to  appear  in 
the  Quinzaine  Illustree  at  the  end  of  1909,  M.  Xavier 
Paoli,  the  ex-"  Protector  of  Sovereigns,"  records  the 
last  visit  to  Cap  Martin  of  the  unfortunate  Kaiserin 
(who  was  accompanied  by  her  consort),  and  what 
proved  to  be  the  final  adieux  of  the  two  imperial 
ladies. 

The  Emperor  Francis  Joseph  selected  for  the 
Empress  Eugenie's  brief  three  days'  sojourn  at  Ischl 
the  Hotel  Elizabeth,  where  she  occupied  the  apart- 
ments which,  in  1908,  were  again  tenanted  by  King 
Edward,  as  they  had  been  by  the  German  Emperor 
on  a  previous  occasion.  The  Empress  Eugenie,  travel- 
ling as  the  Comtesse  de  Pierrefonds,  left  Venice  on 
July  10  for  Villach,  where  she  slept,  and  reached 
Ischl,  in  the  imperial  train  provided  for  her  by  her 
host,  on  the  11th.  Her  small  suite  comprised 
M.  Franceschini  Pietri,  Mme.  Vescey  (lady-in-wait- 
ing), a  maidservant,  and  two  grooms  of  the  chamber. 

The  Empress  found  the  Ischl  railway  -  station 
besieged  by  a  vast  concourse,  curious  and  anxious 
to  see  for  the  first  time  one  who  had  formerly  been 
the  most  beautiful  and  most  discussed  woman  in 
Europe.  They  gazed  upon  a  lady,  in  unrelieved 
black,  whose  ebony  cane  seemed  to  be  anything  but 
indispensable  ;  for  the  Empress  walked  firmly  along 
the  platform,  and  smilingly  greeted  the  Kaiser,  who 
kissed    her   cheek — a   little   gallantry    which    deeply 


342  EMPRESS  EUGENIE 

toiiclifd,  and  ]>t'rhap6  a  little  surprified,  her.  Tlie 
Arcluluchess  Valdie  was  presented  by  her  father, 
as  was  Count  Paiir,  His  Majesty's  aide-de-camp;  and 
then,  leaning  on  tlie  Kaiser's  arm,  the  Empress  was 
led  to  the  c^n'riaire  in  which,  her  host  and  his  daughter 
accompanyinti;  her,  she  was  driven  to  the  Hotel 
Elizabeth.  The  enthusiastic  cheers  of"  the  crowd 
ofreatly  moved  the  Empress ;  they  were  the  first  of 
such  demonstrations  of  welcome  she  had  heard  for 
more  than  thirty  years  ! 

At  the  hotel  the  P^nipress  found,  amongst  other 
despatches  awaiting  her,  a  telegram  fi'om  Princess 
Pauline  Metteruich,  whose  role  at  the  Tuileries,  at 
Compiegne,  and  at  Fontainebleau,  during  the  apogee 
of  the  Empire,  needs  no  emphasizing.  There  were  the 
regulation  visits,  and  then  the  gallant  Kaiser  took  the 
Empress  for  a  drive  through  the  picturesque  country 
surrounding  Ischl,  that  *' green  cup  in  the  hills," 
which  has  been  poetically  described  as  "  in  many  ways 
the  idyllic  image  of  the  Valley  of  Avilion."  There 
was  no  escort,  nobody  was  "in  attendance";  it  was 
all  delightfully  unceremonious,  unconventional,  and 
homely.  Some  may  even  have  discovered  in  that 
Ischl  drive  a  vestige  of  romance,  tinged  with  tragic 
souvenirs. 

The  Kaiser  escorted  the  Empress  to  and  from  the 
imperial  villa,  where  a  family  dinner  had  been 
arranged  in  her  honour.  Stormy  weather  prevented 
an  excursion  to  the  Wolfgangsee.  The  Empress 
received  only  one  visitor,  the  Countess  Szechenyi, 
wife  of  the  Austro-Hungarian  Ambassador  at  Rome. 
^VHien  the  time  for  departure  came,  the  Kaiser  escorted 
his  delighted  guest  to  the  railway-station.  The 
Empress  bowed  low  in  bidding  farewell  to  her  host 


HER  ''GREAT"  YEARS:  1906—1910      343 

and  the  members  of  the  imperial  family.  On  her 
arrival  at  Ischl  the  Empress  caused  it  to  be  made 
known  that  she  had  not  been  photographed  since 
1879,  and  she  begged  that  she  might  not  be  "  taken  " 
during  her  stay. 

On  Sunday,  July  15,  the  Empress  was  back  in 
Paris,  having  had,  on  her  way  to  Ischl,  a  closer  view 
of  Mount  Vesuvius  than  she  had  been  able  to  obtain 
at  the  time  of  her  previous  journeys  to  Italy. 

At  Bergen,  in  Norwegian  waters,  on  Sunday, 
July  27,  1907,  the  Empress,  then  cruising  in  the 
Thistle,  received,  for  the  first  time,  the  German 
Emperor.  This  totally  unexpected,  and  in  many 
ways  surprising,  interview  of  the  grandson  of  the 
monarch  to  whom  Napoleon  HI.  surrendered  at  Sedan 
with  the  former  Empress  of  the  French  was  perhaps 
the  most  remarkable  episode  in  Her  Majesty's  life 
since  her  exile.  No  official  information  concerning  it 
was  forthcoming  at  Berlin.  The  English  journals 
accorded  it  two  lines,  without  a  word  of  comment. 
The  German  Press  lost  itself  in  speculations,  more 
or  less  amusing,  respecting  the  object  of  the  meeting 
and  the  steps  which  had  been  taken  to  bring  it  about. 
The  Emperor  of  Austria  was  credited  with  having 
arranged  the  interview  at  the  urgent  request  of  the 
Empress,  who,  it  was  boldly  asserted  by  some  Ger- 
man papers,  had  ' '  confided  to  the  Emperor  William 
matters  of  great  political  importance,"  which  she  had 
not  hitherto  revealed.  All  this  was  asserted  by  the 
semi-official  No7'th  German  Gazette  to  be  imaginary  ; 
and  probably  it  was.  It  must  have  surprised  many 
that  King  Edward,  as  an  intimate  of  the  dethroned 
Sovereign  and  of  the  Emperor  William,  escaped  the 
implication  of  having  paved  the  way  for  the  meeting 


344  EMPIIKSS  KUCJENIK 

otV  I>orm'n.  It  \v;is  curious  tliai  the  interview,  the 
Hkehhood  of"  wliioli  no  one  luid  ventured  to  predict, 
was  not  conuni'nted  on  hy  any  of  th«  leading  French 
journals. 

It  is  })ossible  that,  one  of  these  days,  by  some 
pardonable  ''indiscretion"  or  other,  we  shall  be  told 
what  passed  between  the  Empress  and  the  Kaiser 
when  they  came  together  for  the  first,  and  probably 
for  the  last,  time  on  board  the  TJiiUle  in  the  second 
of  Her  ^Iaiest3'''s  "great "  years.  It  is  to  be  remarked 
that  since  1867,  when  most  of  the  world's  rulers  were 
entertained  at  the  Tuileries  by  the  Emperor  and 
Empress  of  the  French,  no  Prussian  Sovereign  had 
exchanged  a  w^ord  with  the  Empress  Eugi'nie.  The 
Bergen  interview,  then,  was  a  subject  for  some  great 
painter  to  commemorate  on  canvas,  a  theme  for  the 
historian,  an  episode  for  the  poet ;  for  here  we  had 
the  epilogue  of  the  "  Terrible  Year "  represented  on 
the  deck  of  an  English  yacht  in  Scandinavian 
w^aters. 

If  the  journey  to  Ischl  in  1906  had  been  a  surprise, 
the  announcement,  at  the  beginning  of  1908,  that  the 
Empress  was  about  to  leave  for  Ceylon,  was  taken 
as  an  indication  that  Her  Majesty  had  resolved  to 
practically  illustrate  the  axiom  that,  while  a  man  is 
"as  old  as  he  looks,"  a  woman  is  only  "as  old  as  she 
feels."  Although  the  Empress  had  been  staying,  as 
usual,  at  the  Continental  for  a  full  fortnight,  the 
Paris  papers  were  not  very  well  informed  about  the 
voyage  to  Ceylon ;  even  the  published  list  of  those 
selected  to  accompany  her  was  amusingly  inaccurate. 
"The  Empress's  suite,"  wTote  M.  Pietri,  in  reply  to 
my  inquiry,  "  consists  of  Mme.  d'Attainville,  Mile,  de 
Castelbajac,  Miss  Vaughan,  and  myself.     Also  accom- 


/(J/a. 


/'hotiMjraph  hi/ 
Eu(j.  Pirou,  '-'3   Rui:  Uoyalc   Purh. 


To  face  p.  344. 


HEE  "GREAT"  YEARS:  1906—1910      345 

panying  Her  Majesty  are  Comte  Clary,  Comte  Mal- 
vezzi,  and  Dr.  Vitmann/' 

On  January  9  the  Empress  and  her  little  party  left 
Paris  for  Marseilles,  and  on  the  11th  they  embarked 
on  the  P.  and  0.  steamer  Mooltan  for  "  the  Scented 
Island." 

The  9th  was  the  anniversary  of  the  Emperor's 
death,  and  the  principal  members  of  the  Bonapartist 
party  assembled  in  the  Church  of  St.  Augustin  to 
assist  at  the  requiem  for  the  repose  of  his  soul. 
When  they  remembered  that  thirty-five  years  had 
elapsed  since  the  death  of  Napoleon  III.,  even  casual 
onlookers  must  have  marvelled  at  the  strength  of  the 
link  which  still  binds  imperialists  together.  Round 
the  catafalque  were  seven  tricolours,  surmounted  by 
the  imperial  eagle,  held  by  delegates  of  the  Im- 
perial Committees.  It  was,  in  fact,  an  imperialist 
demonstration,  without  any  attempt  at  Governmental 
interference. 

Two  Bonapartist  Princes — Roland  and  General 
Louis — might  have  been  present ;  but  both  were 
amongst  the  few  absentees.  The  Empress  was  repre- 
sented by  Prince  Murat.  Here  and  there  were  seen 
the  Duchesse  de  Mouchy,  the  Princesse  de  la  Moskowa, 
Baron  and  the  Baronne  de  Bourgoing,  Baron  Verly, 
M.  and  Mme.  Gavini  de  Campile  (the  latter  died  in 
1909),  Comte  Primoli  (not  infrequently  to  be  found 
at  Farnborough  Hill  as  the  guest  of  his  illustrious 
relative),  the  Due  de  Feltre,  Comte  Fleury  (a  son  of 
the  famous  general  who  was  one  of  the  Emperor's 
most  devoted  friends),  the  members  of  the  Committee 
of  Appeal  to  the  People,  survivors  (after  thirty-eight 
years)  of  the  magnificent  Cent-Gardes  and  of  the 
dashing  Garde  Imperiale,   and    some  old    servants  of 


.•U6  KMl'KKSS  FAJGENIR 

the  imperial  household  as  it  existed  in  1870.  It  was 
a  day  of  coincidences,  for  it  was  on  January  9,  twenty 
ye^irs  previously,  that  the  remains  of  Napoleon  III. 
and  the  Prince  Imperial  were  removed  from  Chisle- 
hurst  to  the  mausoleum  at  Farnborough  ;  and  while 
this  memorial  service  was  proceeding  at  St.  Augustin's, 
the  Lord  Abbot  of  St.  Michael's,  Farnborough,  was 
singing  a  Mass  (of  the  Octave  of  the  Epiphany)  for 
Napoleon  III.  and  his  son,  in  the  presence  of  all  the 
Benedictine  Monks,  who  owe  their  beautiful  home  to 
the  generosity  of  the  P^mpress. 

Most  notable  of  all  the  Empress's  "great"  years 
was  1909,  when,  in  May  and  July,  she  visited  Spain 
and  Ireland. 

A  few  days  after  celebrating  her  eighty-third  birth- 
day the  Empress  journeyed  from  Cap  Martin  to 
Madrid,  where  she  was  the  guest  of  her  grand- 
nephew,  the  Due  d'Albe,  was  entertained  by  the  King 
and  Queen  at  the  royal  palace,  attended  a  strikingly 
picturesque  ceremony  at  the  palace  chapel  on  Ascen- 
sion Day,  and  was  present  at  a  memorable  religious 
function  at  Loeches. 

At  Madrid  the  Empress  was,  once  more,  chez  elk. 
How  often  had  she  curtsied  to  Queen  Isabella  in  the 
throne-room !  Many  times  had  she  walked  up  the 
wide  stairs  leading  from  the  entrance  in  Palmeria 
Square  to  the  salle  des  fetes — walked  between  the 
200  liveried  and  powdered  domestics  ranged  on  the 
steps.  How  well  she  remembered  passing  through 
the  endless  rooms,  all  brilliantly  illuminated ;  through 
the  grandiose  saleta,  with  its  ceiling  painted  by  Maella 
and  its  gigantic  lustre  of  old  rock  crystal ;  and  so 
into  the  throne-room,  the  scene  of  the  baise-main — an 
immense  apartment,   with  its  pictures,  lofty  mirrors, 


HEE  "GREAT"  YEARS:  1906—1910      347 

great  windows,  and  its  ceiling,  the  masterpiece  of 
the  Tiepolos ;  its  white  marble  busts,  its  bronzes  of 
Mercury,  Themis,  and  Jupiter  ! 

Here  it  was,  as  I  am  not  likely  to  forget,*  that  on 
Sunday,  January  17,  1875,  the  father  of  the  present 
King  received  for  the  first  time  the  flower  of  Spain's 
aristocracy.  Every  family  in  the  "Guia  "  (the  Spanish 
"  Burke "),  and  many  a  one  not  to  be  found  in  its 
pages,  had  its  representative.  The  "  Rey  Caballero  " 
(poor  boy  !),  standing  on  the  dais  for  long  hours, 
looked  as  one  in  a  dream.  The  Empress  Eugenie  has 
a  vivid  remembrance  of  Alfonso  XII.,  her  adored 
son's  playmate  in  Paris  and  occasional  companion  in 
London,  where  now  and  again  the  Sandhurst  and 
Woolwich  Cadets,  both  heirs  to  thrones,  met  at  "  the 
Borth  wicks,  "t 

Let  us  see  what  happened  to  the  Empress  at  the 
royal  palace  at  Madrid  in  May,  1908  ;  it  is  sufficiently 
piquant. 

The  20th  of  the  month  was  Ascension  Day.  The 
people  had  assembled  at  the  palace  in  force  to  witness 
the  ceremony  called  the  chapelle  piihlique,  and  the 
spectators  saw  even  more  than  they  could  have  antici- 
pated seeing.  They  saw  in  the  very  mixed  assemblage 
the  figure  of  an  aged  lady  in  the  simplest  black 
walking-dress.  This  was  the  Empress  Eugenie,  who, 
attended  only  by  one  lady,  had  come  to  witness  the 
Ascension  ceremony.  If  Her  Imperial  Majesty  had 
often  visited  the  Spanish  Sovereigns,  she  had  not 
previously  figured  at  any  official  gathering.     She  had 

*  As  the  special  correspondent  of  the  Mwning  Post,  the  author 
attended  this  reception.  With  the  King's  permission,  he  accom- 
panied His  Majesty  from  Paris  to  Madrid,  and  later  to  the  fighting 
zone  in  the  North. 

t  The  late  Lord  and  Lady  (jrlenesk. 


348  KMPRKSS    KUCENIE 

not  iiitonufd  aiiyoiu*  at  tlic  juilace  of  her  intention  to 
assist  at  the  (/ly/'/e  oi'  tlie  Court,  wliich  evoked  so 
many  recollections  ot*  the  long-distant  past,  hut  had 
edged  her  way  through  the  throng  and  taken  up  a 
position  near  a  door  of  the  gallery,  where  the  public 
patiently  awaited  the  [)as8ing  of  the  King  and 
Queen.  Wlio  in  that  miscellaneous  concourse — that 
human  olla  podrida — could  have  guessed  that  the 
widow  of  Naj)oleon  III.,  the  lady  who,  when  Mile,  de 
Monti  jo,  had  been  on  one  occasion  so  ungenerously 
treated  by  Isabella  II.,  was  in  their  midst,  rubbing 
shoulders  with  some  of  Madrid's  proletariat,  waiting 
for  the  appearance  of  the  procession  on  Ascension 
Day? 

However,  there  she  was,  with  her  soHtary  "  lady, " 
in  that  composite,  picturesque  crowd.  Presently  she 
was  discovered,  by  the  merest  accident,  by  one  of  the 
King's  aunts,  the  Infante  Eulalie,  who,  full  of  the 
gentlest  solicitude  for  the  imperial  visitor,  naturally 
pressed  her  to  join  the  Royal  Family.  The  Empress 
felt  constrained  to  decline  the  invitation,  on  the  ground, 
as  was  amusingly  evident,  that  she  was  not  attired  for 
a  Court  function  ;  she  would  be  fully  satisfied  if  she 
could  gain  admittance  to  the  gallery  by  w'ay  of  the 
inner  apartments.  The  Infante  went  in  quest  of,  and 
soon  found,  the  King,  who,  surprised  in  turn,  and 
perhaps  inwardly  enjoying  the  humour  of  the  situa- 
tion, immediately  ordered  that  the  Empress  should  be 
conducted  to  the  haven  she  desired,  the  chapel,  with  all 
the  honours  accorded  to  Sovereigns.  The  people  who 
had  been  jostling  the  white-haired  lady  in  the  simple 
black  dress  marvelled  whom  the  sefiora  might  be,  when, 
presently,  a  gorgeously-attired  personage  pushed  his 
way,  without  much  ceremony,  through  the  crowd,  and, 


HEFv  "GREAT"  YEARS:  1906—1910      349 

with  deep  obeisance,  communicated  to  the  mysterious 
lady  the  King's  instructions.  The  bedizened  official 
was  Senor  Zarco  del  Yalle,  Inspector-General  of  the 
Palace,  who  was  attended  by  eight  halberdiers,  and 
under  this  escort  the  Empress  and  her  lady-in-waiting 
were  ushered  into  the  gallery.  Here  were  ladies  in 
sumptuous  Court  costumes,  which  strangely  contrasted 
with  the  Empress's  sombre  walking-gown.  The  people 
in  the  gallery  did  not  need  to  be  informed  of  the 
identity  of  the  new  arrival.  "  It  is  the  Empress !" 
they  murmured,  in  astonishment,  as,  with  deep 
curtsies,  they  made  place  for  the  Queen's  godmother, 
whom  their  King's  grandmother,  Isabella  11. ,  had  so 
warmly  welcomed  in  this  same  palace — when  she  had  be- 
come Empress.  From  her  place  in  the  Court  tribune  Her 
Imperial  Majesty  watched  the  "  Ascension  "  ceremony 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end,  not  the  least  interested 
spectator  of  that  procession  through  the  palace  corridors 
which  all  Madrid,  from  the  highest  to  the  humblest,  had 
assembled  to  witness. 

The  3rd  of  June  saw  the  Empress  Eugenie  at  her 
grandnephew's  place  at  Loeches,  assisting  at  the  in- 
auguration of  the  pantheon  of  the  Dukes  of  Alba  in  the 
presence  of  the  head  of  the  family,  his  grandmother, 
(the  Duquesa  Fernan  Nunez),  the  Due  de  Santona, 
and  the  Comte  de  Montijo  (a  member  of  the  Empress's 
family).  Nearly  all  the  noble  houses  of  Spain  were 
represented  at  this  ceremony.  The  Empress  was  the 
object  of  the  most  flattering  attentions.  In  this 
grandiose  place  of  sepulture  repose  the  remains  of  the 
sister  whom  she  has  mourned  since  1860,  and  of  that 
sister's  husband,  for  whom  the  Empress  had  the 
sincerest  aflection.  To  say  that  she  herself  had  once 
hoped  to  be  the  Duchesse  d'Albe   is    to   repeat   the 


350  EMPKKSS  EUCRNIK 

stoiN  I'unciil  moil'  tliaii  hall'  a  t'cnlui'y  ago,  and 
reciilleil  1)\  many  who  greeted  the  imperial  revenante 
at  Loeches  in  li)Oi). 

If  there  is  one  })nl)lic  place  in  Paris  in  which  the 
Empress  particularly  delights,  it  is  the  chateau  of  La 
Malniaison,  a  national  treasure-house  to  which,  as  pre- 
viously noted,  she  has  made  numerous  gifts  of  historical 
value  and  interest — e.g.,  the  Empress  Josephine's  harp, 
a  bust  of  the  same  lady  by  Chinard,  and  the  furniture 
of  Queen  Hortense's  apartment  in  the  chateau.  Being 
in  Paris,  after  her  Spanish  tour,  in  June  and  part  of 
July,  the  Empress,  escorted  by  Comte  G.  Primoli  and 
M.  Pietri,  once  more  visited  the  Malmaison,  M^here 
there  was  to  be  seen  an  exhibition  of  furniture  and 
tapestries  collected  by  the  erudite  M.  Dujardin- 
Beaumetz,  of  the  Government  Fine  Arts  Department. 
To  M.  Jean  Ajalbert,  the  curator  of  the  museum,  Her 
Majesty  expressed  her  w^armest  thanks  when,  by 
gracious  invitation,  he  called  at  the  Hotel  Continental. 

From  the  Malmaison  the  Empress  went  to  Rueil 
Church,  in  which  are  the  tombs  of  the  Empress 
Josephine  and  Queen  Hortense. 

The  Empress  Eugenie  en  touriste  was  the  spectacle 
vouchsafed  to  the  Irish  in  July,  1909.  Her  Majesty's 
party  comprised  the  Princesse  de  la  Moskowa, 
Miss  Isabel  C.  Vesey,  M.  Carlos  de  Arcos,  General 
Sir  Thomas  W.  Kelly-Kenny,  K.C.B.,  and  M.  Frances- 
chini  Pietri. 

To  begin  the  record  of  the  Irish  visit  at  the  begin- 
ning, if  only  for  the  gratification  of  all  in  the  "  Green 
Isle  "— 

"  First  flower  of  the  earth,  first  gem  of  the  sea," 

the  fact  must  be  noted  that  the  Empress  arrived  at 
Kingstown  in  her  steam-yacht,  the   Thistle   (formerly 


HER  "GREAT"  YEARS:  1906—1910      351 

owned  by  the  late  Duke  of  Hamilton),  on  July  17,  a 
Saturday  evening ;  and  that  from  the  moment  of  her 
landing,  on  the  following  day,  the  most  cordial  entente 
with  the  people  was  established. 

On  Sunday  a  Viceregal  aide-de-camp  went  on 
board  the  yacht,  conveying  a  message  of  welcome  from 
the  Lord-Lieutenant  and  the  Countess  of  Aberdeen. 
Her  Majesty  went  ashore  and  heard  Mass  at  a  local 
church,  and  then  paid  Lord  and  Lady  Powerscourt  a 
visit  at  Powerscourt  House,  Enniskerry,  in  romantic 
Wicklow.  She  was  shown  the  famous  waterfall,  and 
did  not  get  back  to  the  yacht  until  eight  o'clock. 

The  Lord-Lieutenant's  "  call  "  by  proxy  was  returned 
on  the  following  day  by  the  Empress,  who  was  warmly 
greeted  at  the  Viceregal  Lodge  by  Lord  and  Lady  Aber- 
deen. Lafayette  was  honoured  by  a  "  command  "  to 
photograph  a  group  ;  the  Empress  is  the  central  figure, 
with  the  Lord-Lieutenant  on  her  left,  and  Bishop 
Donnelly  on  her  right.  Lady  Aberdeen  stands  imme- 
diately behind  Her  Majesty,  between  General  Sir  T.  W. 
Kelly-Kenny,  G.C.B.,  and  Colonel  Sir  A.  Weldon. 
M.  Franceschini  Pietri  is  seen  on  the  extreme  left,  in 
yachtsman's  garb,  with  Lady  Weldon  in  front  and  Sir 
James  Dougherty,  P.C.,  C.B.,  in  the  rear.  Mr.  Max 
Green,  A.D.C.,  is  on  the  right,  standing  ;  and  on  the 
Lord-Lieutenant's  left  is  the  Princesse  de  la  Moskowa. 
The  Empress  was  very  vivacious,  and  had  gracious 
words  for  her  distinguished  host  and  hostess  and  for 
everybody  else.  Scotland  is  fairly  well  known  to  Hei- 
Majesty  ;  but  I  believe  she  now  saw  the  Irish  capital 
for  the  first  time.  Needless  to  say  that  the  Empress 
took  away  with  her  the  most  agreeable  recollections  of 
her  visit  to  the  Viceroy  and  his  charming  wife,  whose 
good  works  are  manifold. 


:kvj  KMIMIESS  RUnENlK 

llowth  C'tistlo,  iiTeoulurly  Imilt,  battlemeiited,  and 
made  additionally  attractive,  by  the  picturesqueness  of 
its  ijjlades,  appealed  to  the  aesthetic  tastes  of  the 
Empress  ;  and  it  has  its  legend.  In  the  hall  she  saw 
the  collection  of  weapons  for  which  the  castle  is  famous, 
and,  in  the  upper  regions,  the  bed  in  which  King 
William  III.  slept  when  he  visited  Ireland.  They 
told  her  (as  she  could  glean  from  the  "  Peerages")  of 
the  founder  of  the  St.  Lawrence  family,  Sir  Armoricus 
(variously  Ahnericus)  Tristram,  a  mighty  fighting-man 
whose  huge  sword  she  saw  in  the  hall  ;  and  she  learnt 
that  the  twentieth  Baron  was  known  as  "  the  Blind 
Lord."  The  earldom  of  Howth  became  extinct  with 
the  death  of  the  fourth  Earl  early  in  1909. 

From  Howth  the  Empress  went  to  Waterford  ;  on 
the  next  day  she  visited  Kilkenny  Castle,  was  enter- 
tained at  lunch  by  the  Marchioness  of  Ormonde  and 
Lady  Constance  Butler,  and  returned  to  the  yacht  at 
Waterford  the  same  night.  Her  Majesty's  activity 
was  extraordinary.  She  seemed  never  to  tire  of  sight- 
seeing ;  every  day  there  was  an  excursion. 

Killarney  was  reached  on  July  22  by  train,  carriages 
taking  the  party  to  the  Royal  Victoria  Hotel,  where 
their  arri^'al  was  the  greatest  event  in  local  history 
since  the  visit  of  the  Prince  of  Wales,  His  Majesty 
King  Edward  VII.  On  the  23rd  the  Empress  and 
her  suite  were  driven  to  Killarney  House,  the  seat  of 
the  Earl  and  Countess  of  Kenmare,  in  whose  absence 
the  visitors  were  received  by  Captain  and  Mrs.  Crane. 

After  lunch  at  the  Victoria  (with  Captain  and 
Mrs.  Crane  as  guests)  came  a  drive  to  Muckross 
Abbey,  and  thence  to  tea  at  the  Queen's  Cottage  at 
Derrycunihy. 

It  is  a  deserved   tribute   to   the  juvenility  of  the 


HER  "GREAT"  YEARS:   1906—1910       353 

Empress,  to  her  passion  for  seeing  and  learning  about 
everything  of  interest  wherever  she  goes,  to  note  that 
she  did  not  miss  one  of  the  sights  of  this  wondrous 
Irish  lakeland.  Ross  Bay,  as  it  is  seen  from  Ross 
Castle ;  the  Tore  Mountains,  from  Dinis  Island ; 
Muckross  Abbey,  dating  from  1340,  and  sheltering 
in  the  cloisters  the  yew-tree  "  which  merged  into  life 
with  the  abbey  itself " ;  Tore  Waterfall  and  Dinis 
Island ;  the  old  weir  bridge,  where,  to  Her  Majesty's 
delight,  the  boat  shot  the  rapids ;  Lord  Kenmare's 
deer-park,  with  its  Irish  red  deer  (many  a  "  royal " 
among  them) ;  the  mountains  and  the  lakes — all  these 
fascinated  the  Empress,  who  took  back  to  her  Hamp- 
shire home  not  a  few  souvenirs  of  picturesque  Ireland. 

On  Saturday,  July  24,  the  Empress  remained 
cliez  elle,  and  received  the  Bishop  of  Kerry  (the  Most 
Rev.  Dr.  Mangan)  and  his  Administrator  (the  Very 
Rev.  M.  Fuller).  The  Princesse  de  la  Moskowa  and 
the  other  members  of  the  party  were  taken  in  the 
royal  barge  through  the  Lower  Lake  to  Mahony's 
Point. 

Sunday  was  a  red-letter  day  for  the  Killarney 
Catholics.  Outside  the  Cathedral  (the  Church  of  the 
Assumption)  the  Bishop  and  his  Administrator,  with 
their  boy-attendants,  awaited  the  coming  of  the 
imperial  party,  to  attend  the  10.30  Mass.  The 
Bishop  preceded  the  Empress  and  her  friends  to  the 
seats  reserved  for  them,  and  after  the  Office  Dr.  Mangan 
explained  the  alterations  and  improvements  which  the 
Cathedral  was  undergoing.  The  crowd  saluted  Her 
Majesty  with  the  utmost  respect  and  sympathy. 

In  the  afternoon  the  last  excursion  was  made.  The 
royal  barge  conveyed  the  party  over  the  Lower  Lake. 
From  Ross  Bay  they  got  a  view  of  Ross  Castle.     At 

28 


354  I:M!M{KSS   KrcF.NIK 

Gleiui  tlu'  hai-i-t'  was  ruwcd  aldutryidc  the  shore, 
enahliiii:;  the  Tjiipress  to  see  tin-  Queen's  Cottage. 
Here  some  of  the  party  "snapshotted"  very  success- 
fullv,  previous  to  Ca])t:uii  (^rane  explaining  to  the 
Empress  the  salmon  hauls.  The  boat  was  rowed  round 
Glena  Rav,  then  ])ast  Darby's  Garden  to  O'Sullivan's 
Casciide.  and  so  to  Innisfallen  Island.  The  historic 
ruins  having  been  iiispected,  the  tourists  were  taken 
to  Mahony's  Point,  where,  in  the  absence  of  Lady 
Kenmare,  Mrs.  Crane  did  the  honours  of  the  "  five 
o'clock,"  the  gayest  of  functions. 

Captain  C.  P.  Crane,  R.M.,  D.S.O.,  one  of  Her 
Majesty's  cicerones  at  Killarney,  wrote  to  me  : 

"  I  think  the  view  from  the  terrace  at  Killarney 
House  was  one  of  the  prospects  which  delighted  the 
Empress  more  than  anything.  She  turned  to  my 
wife  many  times,  exclaiming,  with  great  enthusiasm, 
'  How  beautiful !     How  lovely  !' 

Her  Majesty  was  much  pleased  with  the  drive  to 
Derrycunihy  Cottage,  and  with  the  scenery  of  the 
Upper  Lake,  and  frequently  stopped  her  carriage  to 
admire  the  view  along  the  road,  and  encouraged  her 
party  to  take  photographs. 

Her  Majesty  expressed  great  astonishment  that 
Muckross  was  not  let.  She  made  many  inquiries 
about  the  sport  in  Kerry,  and  even  asked  about  the 
flies  used  in  salmon-fishing.  She  was  enchanted  with 
Muckross  Park  and  the  views  of  the  forest. 

My  wife  and  I  were  quite  astonished  at  the  keen 
interest  taken  by  Her  Majesty  in  all  she  saw,  and  at 
her  great  personal  charm,  which  made  it  a  pleasure, 
as  well  as  an  honour,  to  help  in  her  entertainment. 

I  am  sorry  I  cannot  remember  any  more  of  the 
actual  words  used  by  Her  Majesty  in  expressing  her 
pleasure  at  the  beauty  of  Killarney.  Her  visit  gave 
pleasure  to  all  whom  she  met,  and  will  long  be 
remembered." 


HEII  -GREAT'"  YEARS:   1906—1910       355 

What  struck  all  with  whom  she  came  in  contact — 
and  they  were  many — was  the  Empress's  abandonment 
of  all  reserve.  She  was  vivacity  itself,  and  discussed 
all  manner  of  subjects,  as  is  evident  from  Captain 
Crane's  illuminating  letter.  With  Mr.  John  Maher 
Loughnan,  J. P.,  Chairman  of  the  Killarney  Urban 
District  Council,  Her  Majesty  exchanged  ideas  on  the 
scenery  of  the  lakes,  the  condition  of  the  people, 
and  salmon-fishing — De  omnibus  rebus,  et  quihusdam 
aliis. 

"  I  am  surprised,"  said  the  Empress,  "  that  more 
people  do  not  visit  Killarney,  with  its  superb  scenery. 
In  other  countries  which  I  have  visited  there  are 
coasting  steamers,  calling  regularly  at  convenient 
ports,  and  sending  their  passengers  inland  for  several 
days  together,  previous  to  rejoining  the  vessel  at 
another  port.  Ireland  seems  particularly  adapted  for 
such  a  plan," 

Mr.  Loughnan  was  the  recipient  of  a  highly  gratifj- 
ing  expression  of  opinion  from  the  Empress,  who  said, 
before  leaving  the  house  in  which  she  and  her  friends 
had  passed  so  many  pleasant  days  :  "I  am  completely 
charmed  with  Killarney.  This  is  the  most  comfortable 
hotel  I  have  ever  stayed  at,"  Her  Majesty  occupied 
the  suite  of  apartments  which  had  been  tenanted  by 
His  Majesty  the  King  before  his  accession,  by  the 
Duke  and  Duchess  of  Connaught,  and  other  royal 
and  distinguished  personages.  The  visitors'  book  at 
the  Royal  Victoria  Hotel  is  enriched  with  the  treasured 
autographs  of  "Albert  Edward,"  "Arthur,"  "Louise 
Margaret  "  (H,R,H.  the  Duchess  of  Connaught),  "  Mar- 
garet," "Victoria  Patricia,"  "Emma  R.  Queen  of 
Hawaii,"  "  Count  H.  Bismarck,"  "  Louis  Battenberg, 
Capt.     R.N."     (now     Admiral),     "Roberts,     F.M.," 

23—2 


356  EMPRESS  EUCraiE 

"  Oount  I'aiil  iMctteniich,"  and  "  Engriiie,"  the 
Empress's  sii^uatiire,  written  as  firmly  at  eighty-tliree 
as  when  she  was  fifty  years  younger. 

Witl)  genuine  regret  the  perso7mel  of  the  hotel, 
numbering  eighty,  assembled  to  watch  the  imperial 
visitor's  departure  (July  20)  for  Waterford,  where  the 
Thistle  was  waiting  to  re-embark  the  party.  Advanc- 
ing witli  all  the  courage  of  her  five  years,  little 
Miss  Lough  nan  handed  to  the  Empress  a  bouquet  of 
Killarney  flowers.  Her  Majesty  threw  her  arms 
round  the  child  and  tenderly  embraced  her.  "  I 
hope,"  said  the  Empress,  "before  you  have  grown 
up  to  be  a  young  woman  I  shall  have  visited 
Killarney  the  beautiful  again  !"  This  was  said  with 
a  winning  smile ;  a  gracious  salutation  to  all  and 
sundry,  and  the  great  lady  departed,  amid  the  cheers 
of  all  Killarney.  At  the  railway-station  there  were 
more  bouquets,  Mr.  O'Keefe  presenting  the  Empress 
with  one  on  the  part  of  Lady  Kenmare. 

Until  February  24,  1910,  there  had  not  appeared, 
to  the  best  of  my  recollection,  any  record  of  a  con- 
versation with  the  Empress,  excepting  a  very  brief 
anonymous  report  published  in  1876.  On  the  above 
date,  however,  the  Paris  Matin  provided  its  readers 
with  an  article  entitled  "  L'Ombre :  Une  Conversa- 
tion avec  ITmperatrice  Eugenie,"  from  the  pen  of 
the  popular  Italian  journalist  Antonio  Scarfoglio. 

The  talented  author  of  this  "interview"  and 
M.  Stephane  Lauzanne,  the  editor  of  the  Matin  (a 
relative  of  the  late  M.  de  Blowitz,  the  famous  Paris 
correspondent  of  the  Times,  to  whom  I  owed  many 
favours),  courteously  sanctioned  the  appearance  of 
M.  Scarfoglio's  charming  article  in  this  volume.  But 
the  book  was  already  completed,  and  it  is  only  possible 


HER  "GREAT"  YEARS:   1906—1910      357 

to  print  a  few  brief  extracts  from  the  conversation  with 
Her  Majesty. 

The  actual  date  of  the  "  interview  "  is  not  given ; 
but  this  is  not  of  much  moment,  as  we  are  assured 
that  it  took  place  during  one  of  the  Imperial  Lady's 
last  visits  to  Naples,  probably  in  1906. 

The  Empress  was  alone,  sunk  in  an  arm-chair, 
thinking.  Her  black  dress  was  buttoned  to  the  neck. 
Her  eyes  sparkled  under  her  curly  white  locks.  Not 
one  jewel,  not  one  white  speck,  relieved  her  deep 
mourning — only  the  whiteness  of  her  hands,  her  face, 
and  her  hair.  Then  she  spoke,  calmly,  slowly,  ac- 
companying her  words  with  a  slight  movement  of 
her  head  full  of  royal  nonchalance. 

"  I  have  lived — I  have  been.  I  do  not  want  to 
be  anything  more,  not  even  a  memory.  I  am  the 
past — one  of  those  distant  horizons,  confused  and  lost, 
which  the  traveller,  looking  back,  gazes  at  from  the 
Ei^mmit  of  a  mountain,  and  which  he  forgets  in  the 
expectation  of  viewing  the  new  scenes  already  out- 
lined before  him.  I  live,  but  I  am  no  more  :  a 
shadow,  a  phantom,  a  grief  which  walks.  ..." 

She  is  silent ;  then  talks  of  her  travels  in  countries 
seen  since  her  interminable  exile.  "  The  souls  of  men 
are  changed — the  men  also.  She  feels  a  stranger 
among  them." 

"  Between  my  past  and  my  present  not  only  fifty 
years  intervene,  but  ten  centuries  !" 

"  But  your  Majesty  does  not  speak  of  France." 

"  What  should  I  say  ?  Of  what  good  would  it  be  ? 
I  had  a  dream — a  dream  which  was  great  for  the 
country  which  received  me  as  Sovereign,  which  clasped 
me  in  its  arms.  The  dream  is  dead,  killed  by  destiny. 
And  I  wanted,  and  still  want,  to  disappear  with  it. 


358  RMPIiESS  EUGENIE 

I  am  a  pour  wumaii,  who  lias  lived  lon^^  aiul  sulVorcd 
much.  Now  I  seek  })eace,  tranquillity,  and  t'orgottul- 
ness — a  serene  corner  oi'  the  world  where  the  flowers 
are  l)eautit*ul  and  the  dawns  brilliant  ;  a  spot  where 
my  soul  can  dissolve  itself  little  by  little,  where  it  can 
mingle  with  the  sky  and  the  sea,  and  so  die  before  my 
weary  Ixxiy.  There  was  so  much  light  in  my  youth 
that  my  eyes  are  tired  of  it,  even  in  the  shade  in 
which  I  try  to  envelop  myself.  And  I  have  loved 
France  too  well  not  to  try  with  all  my  strength  to 
forget  it.     But  these  are  sorrowful  memories." 

With  her  head  leaning  on  her  right  hand,  the  eyes 
vague,  lost  behind  the  marvellous  vanishing  of  a 
dream,  she  listens  to  M.  Scarfoglio  as  he  talks  of 
Italy.  "  Gentle,  great,  good  sister  !"  she  ejaculates. 
When  he  speaks  of  the  Germans  "  her  visage  becomes 
hard,  violent,  bitter."  "  Their  steel-helmeted  soldiers 
have  trampled  under  foot  the  beautiful  garden  of 
Latinity,"  he  says. 

Not  a  word  falls  from  her  lips,  but  a  whole  drama 
passes  over  her  face,  the  drama  of  her  life  :  her  dream, 
her  reign,  her  greatness  mown  down,  trampled  under 
foot  by  that  race  which,  after  centuries  of  slumber, 
now  spreads  itself  over  the  routes  of  the  world, 
anxious  to  conquer  and  to  ravish  for  itself,  for  its 
flags,  for  its  history,  grandeur,  glory,  and  strength. 

"  They  threaten  us,  they  hem  us  in,  they  will  kill 
us,"  said  M.  Scarfoglio.     "  Our  race  is  old." 

Then  she  who  was  a  Sovereign  turns  in  revolt  : 

"  Our  race  will  not  die,  because  it  is  living  and 
immortal ;  because  it  carries,  clenched  in  its  hand, 
the  secret  of  domination.  Born  to  command,  mistress 
of  all  the  routes,  depositary  of  all  human  grandeurs,  it 
will  live,  because  it  alone  has  found  beauty,  because  it 


HER  "  GEEAT"  YEARS  :  1906—1910      359 

alone  has  known  how  to  express  it,  and  because  all 
which  is  beautiful  and  great  cannot  die  !" 

Then,  standing  up,  the  Empress  says  : 

"  I  am  like  one  who,  walking  backwards,  gazes 
towards  the  horizon  which  he  has  already  passed. 
I  have  renounced  the  future.  I  live  in  my  youth 
and  in  my  past.  And  all  the  rest  is  shadow,  deep 
shadow.  Others  also,  like  myself,  live  on  the  remem- 
brance of  their  past  beauty.  But  they  await  the 
springtime.  I  do  not — I  have  no  more  to  expect. 
Even  my  sad  winter  is  finishing." 

M.  Lotti,  manager  of  the  "  Continental,"  one  of  the 
Empress's  three  "  favourite  hotels,"  has  to  be  credited 
with  contributing  to  this  narrative  some  piquant 
remarks  apropos  of  the  floods.* 

"  The  Empress  Eugenie  is  the  bravest  lady  I  have 
ever  seen,"  said  M.  Lotti.  "  We  had  350  people  in  the 
hotel,  and  as  soon  as  the}'  heard  that  the  cellars  were 
flooded  most  of  them  were  seized  with  panic  ;  but  the 
Empress,  when  informed  that  the  basement  of  the 
hotel  was  under  water,  sent  for  me  and  asked  if  there 
was  any  danger.  She  said  she  did  not  mind  being 
isolated  from  the  rest  of  Paris,  and,  if  the  worst  came 
to  the  worst,  she  was  prepared  to  take  her  departure 
from  the  hotel  on  a  raft !  But  what  she  wanted  to 
know  was  whether  there  was  any  likelihood  of  the 
building  collapsing.  I  gave  Her  Majesty  the  assurance 
which  the  architect  had  given  me,  that  there  was  no 
reason  to  be  anxious  as  to  the  stability  of  the  building. 
'  Then,'  said  the  Empress,  laughing,  '  I  will  remain 
where  I  am,  and  do  as  they  do  in  Venice,  provided 

'■'■  The  Daily  Mirrc/r,  February  1,  1910.  The  complete  accuracy 
of  the  report  was  vouched  for  by  M.  Lotti  in  a  courteous  letter  to 
the  author. 


:u;o  KM  PRESS  EUGENIE 

you  i:in  iiuaraiitci'  wc  shall  al\va\s  liave  onouiJ^h  to 
cat.  1  (t>lil  Hit  Maji'sty  slic  iiccil  have  no  fear  on 
tliat  si-oiv,  ami  .•>>ln.'  is  still  Iktc*  Duriiii;-  the  whole 
period  oi'  the  Hoods  the  Kinpress  has  hud  friends  to 
luiu'h  and  iliiiiier  almost  every  day,  and,  despite  lier 
nearly  eiiihty-foiir  years,  slie  has  gone  out,  whenever 
the  weather  was  Hue,  to  have  a  look  at  the  flooded 
ijuarters  of  tlie  city." 

*  The  Kmpress  left  Paris  for  Cap  Martin  a  week  later,  when  all 
danger  hud  passed. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

A  LITERARY  CONSPIRACY 

The  year  1910  will  be  remembered  by  the  Imperial 
Lady  for  three  reasons  :  the  world-wide  publicity 
given  to  the  story  of  the  forged  Memoirs,  the 
premature  announcement  of  a  "  contemplated  "  alliance 
between  Prince  Napoleon  and  Princess  Clementine 
(daughter  of  the  late,  and  cousin  of  the  present,  King 
of  the  Belgians),  and  the  great  Flood.*  The  date  of 
these  events  was  January,  while  the  Empress  was  in 
Paris,  on  her  way  to  Cap  Martin. 

On  January  7  I  read,  in  the  sparkling  ckroaique 
with  which  M.  Jules  Claretie  enlivens  the  columns 
of  the  Temps,  this  surprising  paragraph  : 

''  At  the  period  of  the  Contemporaine  there  was 
fabricated  a  heap  of  more  or  less  lying  Memoirs, 
relating  to  the  Revolution,  the  Consulate,  and  the 
Empire.  This  has  been  repeated  at  the  present 
moment,  and  there  is  ready  for  publication,  on  the 
first  opportunity  which  presents  itself,  a  sensational 
work  which  will  see  the  light  of  day  simultaneously 
in  the  bookshops  of  all  countries,  and  in  all  languages 
— the  '  Memoires  de  ITmperatrice  Eugenie. 

I  am  assured  that  the  various  editions — French, 
English,  German,  Italian,  and  Spanish — are  not  only  all 

*  During  Her  Majesty's  sojourn  at  the  Hotel  Continental  the 
cellars  were  flooded  (January  26). 

861 


362  KMPKP:SS  EUGENIK 

prititod,  hut  hound,  and  even  done  up  In  parcels,  ready 
for  sending  out.  The  inv»'nti)rs  of  these  '  Meinolres  ' 
foinid  transhitors  inunedlately.  I  am  authoritatively 
informed  that  the  Empress,  who  has  heen  voluntarily 
silent  concerniuij;  the  })ast,  did  not  write  a  line  of  the 
pa^es  now  proposed  to  be  attributed  to  her.  1  do  not 
know  who  has  improvised,  '  polished  off,'  this  book, 
nor  in  what  spirit  it  is  written.  I  know — at  least 
I  am  positively  assured — that  there  are  in  existence 
thousands  of  copies,  that  everything  is  ready,  that 
peo})le  are  expectant,  and  that,  if  tlie  Empress  has 
not  been  forewarned  of  what  is  in  preparation  (and 
she  is  said  not  to  have  been),  she  will  now  be  able 
to  speak  as  to  the  validity  and  authenticity  of  these 
'  Memoires,'  fabricated  I  know  not  where,  by  I  know 
not  whom. 

In  revealing  this  fact,  I  have  only  one  object — 
to  anticipate  an  imposture  and  to  serve  history,  which 
is  in  need  of  such  service." 

As  there  was  a  possibility  that  M.  Claretie  might 
have  been  misinformed,  I  wrote  to  M.  IMetri,  who  was 
good  enough  to  send  me  the  appended  reply  : 


"H6tel  Continental,  Paris. 

January  10,  1910. 

Sir, 

Your  letter  of   the  7th   instant,  addressed  to 
me  at  Farnborough,  has  reached  me  in  Paris. 

M.  Claretie's  article  in  the  Temps,  to  which  you 
allude,  is  correct. 

There  has  been  formed  a  great  enterprise  of 
fabrication  and  of  exploitation  of  the  Memoirs  of  the 
Empress  Eugenie  after  her  death. 

Her  Majesty  has  not  written  any  Memoirs.  She 
will  not  write  any  ;  and  any  publication  of  this  kind 
which  might  be  attributed  to  her  would  be  false. 

On    the    6th    of   July    last,   with    Her    Majesty's 


A  LITEEAEY  CONSPIRACY  363 

authorization,   I  wrote   to   the   Figaro   to  this  effect, 
and  I  now  confirm  it. 

Accept,  etc., 

Franceschini  Pietri. 

Monsieur  Edward  Legge." 

The  only  other  letter  on  the  subject  written  by 
M.  Pietri  for  publication  was  the  following,  which 
appeared  in  the  Times  on  January  1 1  : 

"  Sir, 

The  Empress  Eugenie,  wishing  to  contradict 
persistent  rumours  about  the  publication  of  Memoirs 
attributed  to  her,  which  are  to  appear  after  her  death, 
instructs  me  to  apply  to  the  Times  in  order  to  state 
that  she  has  not  written,  and  is  not  writing,  any 
Memoirs,  and  that  any  publication  of  that  kind  would 
be  apocryphal. 

In  requesting  you  to  give  this  letter  the  requisite 
publicity,  Her  Majesty  hopes  to  put  an  end  to  those 
false  rumours  and  make  known  the  truth. 

Please  accept,  sir,  the  assurance  of  my  distinguished 
consideration. 

Franceschini  Pietri, 

Secretary  of  H.M.  the  Empress  Euginie." 

Later,  M.  Pietri  thus  amplified  the  particulars  given 
of  this  monstrous  literary  fraud  in  his  letter  to  me  : 

"  I  heard  that  a  well-known  New  York  publisher 
intended  to  publish,  after  the  death  of  the  Empress 
Eugenie,  a  work  which  would  profess  to  be  the 
Memoirs  of  Her  Majesty.  In  October  I  wrote  to 
that  firm,  informing  them  that  any  book  of  this  nature 
attributing  the  authorship  to  the  Empress  could  be 
only  an  audacious  forgery.  To  that  letter  I  have  re- 
ceived no  reply.  It  has  been  also  said  that  an  English 
publisher  has  in  his  possession  tiie  manuscript  of  some 


864  EMPRESS  EUGENIE 

nivteiulinl  "  Momoirs  of  tlu'  Empress  Eugdiiie,'  which 
IS  ready  for  pubHcHtioii  at  any  iMoineiit.  Every  day  I 
am  rectMviiiLC  from  all  parts  of  Europe  letters  asking 
to  be  acciM'deil  the  right  of  translation,  as  well  as  a 
mass  of  details  concerning  this  soi-disant  work,  which, 
according  to  rumour,  is  to  be  ])ublished  simultaneously 
in  London,  Berlin,  Paris,  ^ladrid,  and  New  York. 
Let  us,  once  for  all,  clip  the  wings  of  this  canard^ 
which  has  had  too  long  a  life.  I  say  again,  the 
Empress  has  never  written,  and  never  will  write,  her 
Memoirs.  Should  a  work  of  this  kind  ever  be  published, 
it  can  be  only  a  forgery  of  the  grossest  description." 

In  reply  to  my  inquiry  whether  the  Empress  intended 
to  take  any  legal  measures  against  the  persons  con- 
cerned in  the  fraud,  M.  Pietri  wrote  : 

"Hotel  Continental,  Paris. 
,,  Janrmry  18,  1910. 

Monsieur, 

I  have  already  replied  to  your  two  letters  of 
last  week.  I  have  received  that  of  the  16th,  with 
your  article  in  the  Observer,  and  to-day  your  letter  of 
the  17th. 

As  the  Empress  desires  to  be  referred  to  as  little 
as  possible  in  the  newspapers,  allow  me  not  to  reply 
to  the  questions  which  you  have  addressed  to  me, 
the  matter  of  the  pretended  Memoirs  l)eiiig  settled  by 
the  denials  given  to  them. 

In  thanking  you  for  your  good  intentions,  I  beg 
you  to  accept,  sir,  the  assurance  of  my  distinguished 
sentiments. 

Franceschini  Pietri. 

Monsieur  Edward  Legge." 

By  magnanimously  declining  to  take  legal  proceed- 
ings against  the  impudent  concocters  of  the  pretended 
Memoirs,  the  Empress  once  more  displayed  that 
generosity  and  forbearance  which  have  always  charac- 


A  LITERAEY  CONSPIRACY  365 

terized  her.  In  striking  contrast  to  the  Imperial 
Lady's  true  nobility  of  mind  is  the  brutal  callousness 
of  the  fausseurs,  who,  as  we  have  seen,  had  made  the 
most  complete  preparations  to  spring  the  bogus  volume 
upon  the  public  of  Europe  and  the  United  States  at 
the  moment  of  the  Empress's  death  !  It  is  difficult  to 
imagine  anything  more  cold-blooded  and  revolting. 
The  forgers'  secret  was  well  kept.  One  of  the  band 
must,  however,  have  given  them  away ;  or  whence 
came  M.  Pietri's  knowledge  of  the  existence  of  the 
falsified  volumes  "in  thousands"?  But  that  acute 
gentleman  was  not  born  the  nephew  of  a  Prefect  of 
Police  for  nothing,  and  we  may  safely  conclude  that 
he  came  into  possession  of  sufficient  facts  to  have 
secured  the  conviction  of  the  forgers  had  the  Empress 
chosen  to  prosecute. 

We  must  now  retrace  our  steps,  and  note  the  causes 
which  led  the  much-harassed  secretary  of  Her  Majesty 
to  address  this  letter  to  M.  Gaston  Calmette,  the 
editor  of  the  Paris  Figaro,  some  six  months  previous 
to  M.  Claretie's  expose  of  the  fraudulent  book  : 

"Farnborough, 

My  dear  Calmette,  ^^^^^  ^'  ^^^^- 

For  some  time  past  the  Empress  has  received 
numerous  letters  from  persons  asking  permission  to 
publish,  or  to  translate  into  foreign  languages,  her 
Memoirs. 

In  reply  to  these  applications,  and  in  order  to  put 
an  end  to  them,  I  am  directed  by  Her  Majesty  to  state 
that  she  has  not  written,  and  will  not  write,  any 
Memoirs. 

Any  publication  of  this  kind  would  therefore  be 
apocryphal. 

I  shall  be  obliged  if  you  will  assist  me  by  giving 
to  this  declaration  the  necessary  publicity. 


:^c^r,  i:mimjess  euo'Rnik 

'I'liankiii^  vou  foi-  wluit  you  will  kiiuli)"  do  to  this 
end,  I  beg  you  to  believe  me, 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

FllANCESCHlNI  PlETUl." 

M.  Pietri's  forcible  disclaimer  was.  as  he  says,  the 
result  of  applications  to  secure  Memoirs  which  had 
no  existence  in  fact,  and  which  the  Em})ress  has  no 
intention  t)f  writing.  I  cannot,  however,  dismiss  the 
subject  with  the  official  denial  furnished  by  M.  Pietri, 
for  it  has  its  amusing  side,  which  will  be  shown  by 
dotting  the  i's  and  crossing  the  t's  of  the  above  (Y)w- 
mwinpie — an  interesting  document,  ignored  by  the 
English  journals. 

In  the  summer  of  1909  it  was  bruited  about — no 
one  can  say  precisely  how  —  that  the  Empress's 
Memoirs  had  been  in  preparation  for  some  years ; 
and  it  is  a  fact,  as  proved  by  M.  Pietri's  letter,  that  a 
number  of  enterprising  persons,  of  various  nationalities, 
jumped  to  the  conclusion  that  they  had  merely  to 
send  a  civil  letter  down  to  Hampshire  to  secure,  for 
publication  sooner  or  later,  these  precious  souvenirs  of 
the  consort  of  Napoleon  III.,  mother  of  the  ever-to-be 
remembered  "little  Prince."  It  rained  letters  at 
Farnborough  Hill.  The  Imperial  Lady  was  annoyed 
beyond  measure ;  M.  Pietri,  most  placid  and  even- 
tempered  of  men,  was  enraged.  Words  fail  to  describe 
the  amazement  of  the  household  at  "  the  audacity  of 
these  people."  The  time  had  come  to  put  a  stop  to 
"this  kind  of  thing";  so  M.  Pietri  was  directed  to 
pen  that  decisive  epistle,  which  dashed  the  hopes  of 
many  who  had  longed  for  the  primeur  of  the  unfor- 
tunately non-existent  "Memoirs  of  the  Empress 
Eugf^nie,"  which,  they  had  rightly  calculated,  would 
have  sold  like  wildfire  all  over  the  world. 


A  LITEKARY  CONSPIRACY  367 

So  there  will  be  no  imperial  "  Memoirs,"  or  "  Rem- 
iniscences," or  "  Recollections  "—none,  at  least,  in  the 
strict  sense  of  the  word — from  her  own  pen.  That  the 
forged  Memoirs  will  be  issued  sooner  or  later  we 
may  be  certain,  unless  the  aid  of  the  law  should  be 
invoked  for  their  destruction.  The  public  will,  how- 
ever, remember  the  expose  of  1910,  and  will  resent  any 
attempt  to  palm  off  upon  them  that  spurious  volume. 

What  may  be  ardently  hoped  for  is  a  Life  of  the 
Empress,  written  by  one,  or  several,  of  her  entourage, 
and  containing  such  selections  from  her  voluminous 
correspondence  as  she  may  desire,  in  justice  to  herself, 
to  the  Emperor,  and  to  the  Prince  Imperial,  to  leave 
on  record.  No  one  could  perform  this  task  more 
adequately  than  M.  Pietri.  The  Due  de  Mouchy  is 
dead.  Comte  G.  Primoli  and  Prince  Napoleon,  in 
collaboration,  aided  by  information  such  as,  apart  from 
the  Empress  herself,  only  M.  Pietri  is  now  capable  of 
supplying,  would  be  fully  capable  of  producing  a  literary 
memorial  worthy  in  every  way  of  the  august  lady. 
Valuable  coadjutors  might  possibly  be  found  in  the 
Duchesse  de  Mouchy,  nee  Princesse  Anna  Murat,  who 
claims  kinship  by  marriage  with  the  Empress  ;  and  in 
the  English  Mme.  de  Arcos  and  her  sister,  Mrs.  Vaughan. 
All  these  are  honoured  with  the  Empress's  intimate 
friendship.  The  grand  monde,  the  worlds  of  diplomacy, 
politics,  letters,  and  arts,  in  all  countries,  are  interested 
in  this  remarkable  woman's  career,  with  its  elements 
of  tragedy,  romance,  and  even  comedy  ;  and  it  would 
be  deplorable  were  this  great  figure  allowed  to  vanish 
without  due  preparation  being  made  for  the  compila- 
tion of  an  authentic  record  of  the  prominent  part  she 
has  played  in  the  history,  not  only  of  France,  but  of 
Europe. 


CHAPTER  XXV 

TUV.  KMPRESS  EUGENIE  AND  MONSIGNOR  OODDARD  : 
CORRESPOiNDENCE* 

"  /  am  left  alone." 

"Farnborough  Hill, 

June,  1885. 
MONSIGNOR, 

I  am  anxious  to  join  in  the  testimony  of 
affectionate  gratitude  that  your  parishioners  are 
about  to  give  you  on  the  occasion  of  the  twenty- 
fifth  anniversary  of  your  ministry. 

During  the  years  that  we  spent  at  Chislehurst 
you  took  a  large  share  both  in  our  hopes  and  in  our 
misfortunes,  and  the  cruel  stages  through  which  we 
passed  were  to  you  the  occasion  of  proving  your 
attachment  to  us 

*  From  the  numerous  "  papers  "  of  the  late  Very  Rev.  Monsignor 
Goddard,  for  many  years  Priest  of  St.  Mary's,  Chislehurst,  to  whom 
the  Emperor  Napoleon  III.  confided  the  religious  education  of  the 
Prince  Imperial.  Fur  these  documents  the  author  is  indebted  to 
Mr.  George  Goddard,  a  brother  of  the  distinguished  prelate.  In 
January,  1910,  prior  to  publication,  the  author  informed  M.  Fran- 
ceschini  Pietri,  the  Empress's  secretary,  that,  in  the  event  of  Her 
Imperial  Majesty  disapproving  of  the  appearance  of  the  letters  in 
this  volume,  they  would  be  gladly  placed  at  the  Empress's  disposal 
intact,  and  would  not  be  printed  here  or  elsewhere.  M.  Pietri's 
reply  to  the  author's  offer  to  present  the  letters  to  the  Empress,  if 
she  would  graciously  accept  them,  is  given  on  p.  383. 

368 


EMPRESS  EUGENIE  AND  MGR.  GODDARD  369 

In  that  Church  of  St.  Mary,  where  in  other  days  we 
all  three  went  to  pray,  there  are  now  two  tombs.* 
Those  who  were  dear  to  me  are  now  no  more.  I  am  left 
alone,  the  sole  remnant  of  a  shipwreck ;  which  proves 
how  fragile  and  vain  are  the  grandeurs  of  this  world. 

In  their  name,  as  well  as  in  my  own,  I  join  with 
those  who  desire  to  thank  you  for  the  spiritual  care 
which  you  have  lavished  upon  them. 

Believe,  Monsignor,  in  my  affectionate  sentiments. 

EuGfiNIE." 

"  /  enclose  a  cheque.'' 

"  Farnborough  Hill, 

Farnborough,  Hants, 

-..  February  23. f 

MONSIGNOR,  " 

1  have  received  your  little  note,  and  I  wish  to 
tell  you  with  what  sympathetic  interest  I  learnt  that 
the  operation  performed  upon  your  sister  was  success- 
ful. Doubtless  her  condition  is  such  as  to  require  great 
care ;  but,  thanks  to  the  progress  of  science,  there  is 
much  more  hope  to-day  than  formerly  of  preserving 
those  who  are  dear  to  us.  I  hope  that,  with  God's 
help,  you  will  see  your  sister  quite  well  again  ;  and 
that  you  will  let  me  have  news  of  her. 

I  do  not  myself  know  the  extent,  in  Enyland,  of 
the  privileges  which  have  been  accorded  me  by  Pope 
Pius  IX. — whether  they  are  personal  or  local  ;  but  I 
have  permission  to  have  Mass  said  anywhere — in  a 
salon  or  in  a  chapel — except  in  an  hotel.  However, 
as  it  is  not  finished,  we  will  speak  of  it  again. 

Believe,  Monsignor,  in  my  affectionate  sentiments. 

Eugenie. 

■'-  Written  before  the  removal  of  the  imperial  remains  to  Farn- 
borough Hill  J 

t   Vide  the  facsimile  on  p,  384. 


370  EMPIIESS  FAJGRNIE 

I  enclose  a  cheque,  wliich  1  be^  you  to  accept,  to 
help  you  to  meet  the  expenditure  necessitated  by  your 
sisters  condition." 

A    Won!  of  Thanks. 

"  Villa  de  la  IIautk, 
posilei'pe, 

MONSIONOR,  ^ 

I  thank  you  tor  having  denied  the  article  in 
the  Figaro  which  concerned  my  poor  unfortunate 
son.      You  hunt  what  a  lying  -story  it  is* 

I  cannot  explain  M.  Darimon's  object ;  but  it  is  an 
evil  act  on  his  part,  for  it  is  impossible  that  he  could 
have  written  it  with  sincerity. 

It  is  sad  that,  after  so  many  sorrows,  I  am  not 
allowed  that  calme  which  I  so  greatly  need. 

Believe,  Monsignor,  in  my  affectionate  sentiments. 

Eugenie." 

"  I'he  Princess  chapel.** 

"  Camden  Place,  Chislehtjrst. 
Monsieur  le  Cure, 

I  intended  to  have  gone  to  see  you  this  morn- 
ing to  ask  you  something  on  behalf  of  the  Empress  ; 
but  as  I  had  not  time  to  call  I  send  you  this  note. 

From  the  fresh  conversations  which  you  have  had 
with  Miss  Edlmann,  we  think  that  her  brother  will 
consent  to  sell  to  Her  Majesty  the  little  coppice  behind 
your  garden.  If  Her  Majesty  does  not  purchase  it  in 
its  entirety,  she  will  take  at  least  the  equivalent  of  the 
lawn  w^hich  belongs  to  you,  and  which  she  asked  you 

*  The  reference  is  to  an  alleged  liaison  of  the  Prince  Imperial 
with  a  young  woman.  The  story  was  promptly  denied  by  the 
journal  on  the  authority  of  M.  Pietri.   The  italics  are  the  Empress's. 


EMPRESS  EUGENIE  AND  MGR.  GODDARD  371 

for.  Mr.  Edlmann,  however,  appears  to  wish  that  in 
the  agreement  it  should  be  stipulated  that  no  cemetery 
shall  be  made  and  no  buildings  erected  there.  These 
two  points  arranged,  I  think  there  will  be  no  further 
difficulties. 

Her  Majesty  wishes  to  ask  you,  then,  whether,  if 
these  two  points  are  agreed  upon,  the  portion  which 
she  will  take  of  the  little  coppice  will  be  handed  over 
to  you  entirely. 

I  shall  be  much  obliged  if  you  will  send  a  line  in 
reply.  The  Empress  is  very  anxious  to  see  this 
negotiation  succeed,  as  it  will  enable  her  to  build  the 
Prince's  chapel  as  she  wishes  it  to  be,  and  you  will  not 
be  deprived  of  a  garden.  It  is  so  painful  to  her  to 
have  to  occupy  herself  with  these  melancholy  details 
that  we  should  much  like  at  least  to  lessen  the  diffi- 
culties which  make  her  task  still  sadder. 
Believe  me, 

Yours  very  sincerely, 

Marie  de  Larminat." 


Deuotion^. 

"Camden  Place,  Chislehurst, 

JVednesday  morning. 

Monsieur  le  Cuke, 

The  Empress  will  be  happy  to  hear  the  Holy 
Mass  every  day  this  mouth  at  10.30,  as  you  propose. 
All  she  desires  is  that  you  will  so  arrange  matters  that 
she  will  be  alone  for  a  few  moments  before  or  after 
Mass. 

Believe  me, 

Always  yours  very  sincerely, 

Marie  de  Larminat." 
:i4— 2 


372  EMPRESS  EUGENIE 

-1;/   F.)iiln'oi(icre(i  Cushion. 

"Camden  Tlack,  Chislehurst. 

MONSIEUH    LE    CURI^, 

1  am  directed  by  the  Empress  to  send  you. 
on  her  hclialf".  a  cushion  which  Her  Majesty  has  em- 
broidered /icf'sclf  for  you. 

She  hopes  that  you  will  be  pleased  with  it,  and 
that  it  will  prove  to  you  how  much  the  Empress  has 
been  touched  by  the  pious  sympathy  which  you  have 
shown  her  in  the  saddest  times  of  her  exile. 

Accept.  Monsieur  le  Cure,  the  assurance  of  my 
most  respectful  sentiments. 

M.  DE  Larminat, 

Demoiselle  d'honneur." 

Patroness  of  Schools. 

"Villa  Oppenheim,  Florence, 

Monsieur  le  Cur^,  ^^'^^  ^• 

Her  Majesty  the  Empress  dh'ects  me  to  tell 
you  that  she  accepts  the  patronage  of  the  schools  about 
which  you  spoke  to  her  in  your  last  letter. 

Her  Majesty  regrets,  this  year,  to  be  unable  to  do 
for  this  work  what  she  had  desired  to  do.  But,  having 
been  unexpectedly  obliged,  during  her  stay  at  Florence, 
to  expend  somewhat  considerable  sums,  she  finds 
herself  checked  in  the  wish  to  assist  you  in  the  works 
which  interest  her. 

I  thank  you  very  much  for  your  letter,  and  will 
certainly  give  you  news  of  us  when  we  are  in  Spain. 
To-day  I  have  only  time  to  send  you,  in  haste,  my  best 
remembrances  and  the  assurance  of  my  respectful  and 
very  sincere  sentiments. 

Marie  de  Larminat." 


EMPRESS  EUGENIE  AND  MGR  GODDARI)  373 

Many  Gifts. 

"Camden  Place,  Chislehurst, 
January  9,  1874. 

CiTER  Monsieur  le  Cure, 

The  Empress  and  the  Prince  Imperial  direct 
me  to  send  you  £20,  which  you  will  find  enclosed,  for 
the  most  necessitous  of  the  poor  Catholics  of  the  parish 
of  Chislehurst ;  and  £20  for  the  Catholic  Schools,  in 
memory  of  the  Emperor. 

Her  Majesty  and  His  Imperial  Highness  also 
request  you  to  be  good  enough  to  forward  the  letter 
enclosed,  as  well  as  the  casket,  to  Monseigneur  the 
Bishop  who  officiated  this  morning.  It  is  a  little 
souvenir  that  the  Empress  and  the  Prince  Imperial 
wish  to  offer  to  Monseigneur  in  remembrance  of  this 
sad  day. 

Will  you,  cher  Monsieur  le  Cure,  also  be  so  good 
as  to  remit  these  £20  to  Monsieur  I'Abbe  Frechin  on 
behalf  of  Her  Majesty  and  the  Prince  Imperial  ?  It 
is  his  stipend  as  Second  Almoner  of  the  Chapel  of  the 
Emperor  from  January  9,  1874,  to  January  9,  1875. 
The  first  sum  of  £20  was  for  the  year  1873. 
Accept,  cher  Monsieur  le  Cure,  etc., 

Comte  Clary."* 

Payments. 

"Camden  Place,  Chislehurst, 
February  11,  1874. 

Cher  Monsieur  le  Cur]^, 
I  send  you  within — 

1.  The  three  cheques  for  Messrs.  Brass,  Banting, 
and  Hardman. 

2.  £24  for  the  bill  No.  4. 

*  Comte  Clary  was  the  Prince  Imperial's  aide-de-camp. 


374  EMPT^ESS  ErOKNTE 

.'3.  Tlu'  hills  which  i  shall  be  much  obliged  by  your 
returning  to  me  receipted,  for  the  purposes  of  my 
accounts. 

4.  A  \V(>rd  for  Banting.  See,  please,  if  it  is 
sufficient. 

5.  Ten  photographs. 

I  have  in  formed  the  Empress  of  the  total  which 
you  have  arrived  at  for  the  construction  of  the  chapel, 
and  Her  Majesty,  who  is  surpi-ised  at  the  modeiate 
price,  in  view  of  the  admirable  result  which  you  have 
obtained,  directs  me  to  convey  her  compliments  to  you. 

I  need  not  tell  you  that  Her  Majesty  entirely 
approves  of  all  that  you  have  done. 

I  was  not  able  to  send  you  this  little  packet  until 
now. 

Yours  sincerely  and  respectfully, 

CoMTE  Clary." 

"  Quite  natural." 

"  Camden  Place,  Chislehurst. 

Cher  Monsieur  le  Cure, 

The  Empress  directs  me  to  tell  you  that  she 
thinks  it  quite  natural  that  you  should  charge  a 
shilling  for  admission  to  the  church. 

Yours  sincerely  and  respectfully, 

CoMTE  Clary." 

The  Empress  and  the  Cardinal. 

"Camden  Place,  Chislehurst, 

T-v  Ti/r       /-I  January  15,  1873. 

Dear  Mr.  Goddard,  ^ 

I  send  you  a  letter  from  the  Cardinal-Arch- 
bishop of  Rouen,  to  which  the  Empress  desires  you 
should  reply.     She  thinks  you  can  tell  the  Cardinal 


EMPRESS  EUGENIE  AND  MGR.  GODDARD  375 

of  the  Christian  sentiments  of  him  [the  Emperor]  to 
whom  we  have  said  to-day  an  eternal  adieu.  The 
Empress  will  herself  write  to  the  Cardinal  in  reply- 
to  his  letter  of  condolence. 

If  you  wish  it,  I  will  forward  your  letter  to  his 
Eminence  by  the  person  who  brought  the  Cardinal's 
letter  to  Her  Majesty. 

I  have  told  Her  Majesty  of  the  simplicity  and 
grandeur  of  the  mournful  ceremony  of  to-day,  and 
she  listened  to  the  details  with  an  emotion  which 
did  her  good. 

It  is  really  this  evening  that  we  feel  the  void  which 
there  is  at  Camden  ! 

Yours  respectfully  and  affectionately, 

F.  PlETRI." 

"  Poor  woman  !  this  evening  she  is  to  be  pitied  /'* 

"Camden  Place,  Chislehurst, 
December  31,  1879. 

Dear  Monsignor  Goddard, 

"  Her  Majesty  the  Empress  has  been  suffering 
for  the  last  three  days  from  a  severe  cold,  which 
has  prevented  her  from  going  to  the  chapel  in  the 
mornings.  She  hopes,  however,  to  be  able  to-morrow 
to  be  present  at  the  eleven  o'clock  Mass  ;  and  she 
wishes  you  to  offer  it  for  our  dear  Prince.  Possibly 
she  will  be  too  unwell  to  attend  Mass,  which  never- 
theless should  be  said  for  her  unfortunate  son. 

What  a  melancholy  end  of  the  year  !  God  has 
given  us  such  a  sad  one  that  it  seems  to  me  we  can 
only  ask  Him  not  to  renew  such  terrible  trials,  and 
that  we  may  well  wonder  what  could  equal  those 
which  we  have  had  to  bear  in  1879. 


:CC.  KMlMiKSS  ElKiENlK 

I  have  ivail  to  Her  Majesty  the  passage  in  your 
letter.  Yes,  poor  woman  !  this  evening  she  is  to 
be  pitied  ! 

1  shakt"  vour  liaiid  atVcctionaliily. 

Fkances(;uini  Piktri." 

"  The  Empresci  iroiild  like  a  .shorter  service." 

"Camden  Place,  Chislehurst, 
January  1,  1880. 

Dear  Monsignor  Goddard, 

The  Empress  will  be  present  at  Mass  on  the 
9th,  and  will  occupy  her  prie-Dieii  in  the  sacristy. 
She  desires  you  to  announce  the  celebration  of  the 
service,  as  heretofore. 

You  will  remember  that  last  year  the  service  after 
the  Mass  was  very  long,  and  that  the  Empress  caught 
a  severe  cold  in  the  Emperor's  Chapel.  She  would  like 
the  service  after  the  Mass  to  be  much  shorter. 

We  shall  meet  before  the  9th,  if  you  have  time  for  a 
talk. 

Yours  affectionately  and  respectfully, 

Franceschini  Pietri." 

**  The  Empress  thanks  you." 

"Camden  Place,  Chislehurst, 
January  22,  1880. 

Dear  Monsignor  Goddard, 

I  have  handed  to  Her  Majesty  the  Empress 
the  letter  which  you  sent  me.  I  had  already  made  her 
acquainted  with  your  reply  on  the  subject  of  the  con- 
struction of  the  chapel,  and  your  wish  to  do  every- 
thing which  is  within  your  province  to  please  her 
and  to  realize  her  pious  desire.     The  Empress  thanks 


EMPRESS  EUGENIE  AND  MGR.  GODDARD  377 

you,  and  will  do  so   personally  when  she  sees   you 
shortly. 

The  Empress's  decision  to  enlarge  the  Emperor's 
Chapel  as  far  as  the  restricted  space  at  her  disposal 
will  permit  puts  an  end  to  all  the  negotiations,  whether 
with  the  owner  of  the  land  or  with  the  representative 
of  the  founder  of  the  church. 

She  had  thought,  however,  that  her  last  proposi- 
tion, to  construct  a  vault,  having  an  entrance  outside 
the  church,  would  have  fulfilled  all  the  conditions 
necessary  to  make  it  acceptable  to  the  founder's 
family.  But  it  has  proved  otherwise.  Her  Majesty 
regrets  it,  but  she  has  made  up  her  mind  what 
to  do,  and  she  will  devote  herself  to  the  prompt 
realization  of  her  intentions. 

Receive,  etc., 

Franceschini  Pietri." 

"  In  memory  of  the  poor  Prince.'' 

"  Chislehurst, 

July  8,  1890. 
Dear  Monsignor  Goddard, 

I  received  your  letter  in  London,  I  am 
on  my  way  to  Paris,  and  I  wished  to  see  you 
to-day,  and  also  to  see  the  monument  which  you 
have  put  up  in  memory  of  the  poor  Prince.  It  is 
touching  and  very  beautiful  !  It  was  not  without 
deep  emotion  that  I  examined  it,  for  all  my  sad 
recollections  are  aroused  in  this  church,  where  we 
have  prayed  with  our  dear  dead. 

I  was  not  able  to  hand  your  letter  to  the  Empress. 
She  has  gone  to  Norway,  and  will  be  absent  until  the 
end  of  July.   .   .   . 

Franceschini  Pietri." 


378  EMPllKSS  FATOENIR 

Moiwiitpwr  Goddanfs  Appeal  to  the  Empress  Eugenie. 

"  Chislehurst, 

Septembei-  13,  1891. 

May  it  please  your  Tinperial  Majesty. 

Mad  ami:, 

Tliere   are    two    favours    that   1   entreat    your 
Majesty  to  graciously  accord  me. 

The  first  is  that  on  your  return  from  Scotland  you 
would  kindly  pay  a  short  visit  to  your  old  parish.  If 
I  had  known  that  the  erection  of  the  monument  to  the 
Prince  Imperial  would  be  in  the  least  displeasing  to  your 
Majesty,  it  would  not  have  been  put  up,  but  now  that 
it  is  there  I  desire  very  much  that  your  Majesty  should 
see  it ;  and,  moreover,  I  am  sure  that  the  church  is  still 
dear  to  you,  which,  with  the  beloved  dead,  you  so  long 
frequented. 

The  second  is  that  from  the  beginning  of  next 
year  your  Majesty  would  generously  assure  me,  during 
my  life,  the  gift  that  you  have  hitherto  made  to  me, 
and  make  it  payable  to  me  quarterly.  The  truth  is 
that  my  doctor  again,  only  a  few  days  ago,  insisted 
upon  my  taking  a  prolonged  rest,  even  if  I  do  not 
retire  altogether.  Much  work,  and  much  anxiety,  for 
over  thirty  years,  have  completely  destroyed  my  health, 
and  I  am  suffering  both  in  mind  and  body. 

I  have  dared  to  ask  these  favours  of  your  Majesty 
because  you  have  always  been  good  to  me,  and  because 
I  remember  the  generous  words  that  you  said  on  the 
day  that  I  accompanied  the  dead  to  their  present 
resting-place  :  '  Souvenez-vous  que  vous  etre  toujours 
de  la  famille,  et  je  vous  en  donnerait  la  preuve.' 

With  profound  respect,  I  have  the  honour  to  be  of 


EMPRESS  EUGENIE  AND  MGR.  GODDARD  379 

your  Majesty,  the  very  humble  and  grateful  servant 
in  Christ, 

I.    GODDARD." 

The  ETYipress's  Reply. 

"BiRKHALL,    BaLLATER, 

September  1i,  1891. 
Dear,  Monsignor  Goddard, 

I  am  desired  by  the  Empress  to  write  and  give 
you  the  following  message,  in  reply  to  a  letter  Her 
Imperial  Majesty  received  from  you  the  other  day  : 

'  The  Empress  regrets  that  she  is  unable  to  reply 
affirmatively  to  your  request.  If  Her  Majesty  made  a 
promise  to  you,  she  would  be  obliged  to  act  similarly 
to  those  who  are  in  a  like  position  to  yourself 

'  As  she  cannot  foresee  the  future,  the  Empress 
cannot  enter  into  any  engagements.  Nevertheless, 
unless  circumstances  should  prevent  her  from  carrying 
out  her  desire,  the  Empress  will  probably  always  do  as 
she  has  done  up  to  the  present.' 

Believe  me,  dear  Monsignor, 

Very  respectfully  and  truly  yours, 

Christine  V.  de  Arcos." 

The  "  Tapis  "  made  hy  French  Ladies. 

"Farnborough  Hill, 

Farnborough,  Hants, 

October  9,  1892. 

Dear  Monsignor  Goddard, 

I  have  submitted  to  Her  Majesty  the  Empress 
your  letter,  received  this  morning.  Her  Majesty  thinks 
that  the  tapis  made  by  the  French  ladies  for  the 
Church  of  Chislehurst  ought  to  remain  there.  I  can- 
not, therefore,  ask  you  to  send  it  to  Farnborough. 


380  KMPKKSS  EUnF.NTE 

I   loiinit  with  regret  that  the  state  of  your  health 

compelled  you  to  give  up  the  Church  of  St.  Mary  at 

Chislehurst t-,    ,.  „ 

t.  riETiii. 

'i'he  newspapers  having  stated  that  the  Empress 
was  represented  by  Monsignor  Goddard  at  the  funeral 
of  Prince  Louis  Lucien  Bonaparte,  a  cousin  of 
Napoleon  TIT.,  Her  Majesty  caused  the  announcement 
to  be  denied.  In  a  letter  addressed  to  M.  Pietri, 
Monsignor  Goddard  apparently  considered  the  Tilm- 
press's  public  contradiction  of  the  original  statement 
as  a  personal  slight.  M.  Pietri  removed  that  im- 
pression by  the  following  letter  : 

"  Nothing  personal  to  you.'' 

"Farnborough  Hill, 

Farnborough,  Hants, 

Dear  Monsignor  Goddard,  ^'''''"^'''  2^'  i^^^' 

As,  for  family  reasons,  the  Empress  was  not 
represented  at  the  obsequies  of  Prince  Louis  Lucien, 
she  contradicted  the  inaccurate  statement  which  was 
published.  There  was  not  in  this  anything  personal 
to  you,  and  I  am  desired  to  tell  you  so. 

Accept,  dear  Monsignor  Goddard,  the  expression 
of  my  devoted  sentiments. 

Franceschini  Pietri." 

"  The  Em,presss  house  has  always  been  open  to  you.'' 

"  Farnborough  Hill, 

Farnborough,  Hants, 

Dear  Monsignor  Goddard,  ^^^"'^  ^^'  l^^^- 

On  returning  to  Farnborough  a  couple  of 
days  ago,  I  placed  before  the  Empress  your  letter  of 
the  3rd  inst. 

It  is  not  without  surprise  that  Her  Majesty  observes 


EMPRESS  EUGENIE  AND  MGR.  GODDARD  381 

your  complaint  of  the  abandon  in  which  she  has  left 
you,  and  of  the  bitterness  that  it  causes  you. 

Before  as  well  as  after  her  departure  from  Camden 
Place,  Her  Majesty  tells  me  she  has  been  the  same  to 
you.  While  you  were  the  Cure  of  Chislehurst,  as 
after  you  had  ceased  to  be  the  Cure  of  St.  Mary's,  she 
retained,  and  still  retains,  her  liberal  dispositions 
towards  you,  and  her  house  has  always  been  open  to 
you  every  time  you  presented  yourself  there.  She 
does  not  see  how  she  could  have  given  you  cause  for 
the  complaints  in  question  contained  in  your  letter, 
remembering  what  she  has  done  and  what  she  still 
does  for  you. 

As  to  the  difference  which  you  have  with  your 
successor  at  the  church,  it  is  not  for  Her  Majesty  to 
interfere  concerning  it.  The  only  point  with  which 
she  could  concern  herself  is  that  relating  to  the 
ornaments  which  were  given  by  the  Emperor,  by  her- 
self, and  by  the  Prince,  which  were  gifts  made  to  the 
Church  of  St.  Mary  at  Chislehurst,  This  is  recognized 
by  you  in  the  copy  of  the  letter  addressed  to  your 
successor  which  you  sent  me. 

I  have  informed  Mme.  Lebreton  of  that  part  of 
your  letter  which  concerns  her,  and  I  take  with 
pleasure  this  opportunity,  my  dear  Monsignor  Goddard, 
of  renewing  the  expression  of  my  respectful  sentiments. 

Franceschini  Pietri." 

Monsignor  GoddardJs  Reply  to  M.  Pietri. 

"August  16,  1896. 

Allow  me  to  thank  you  for  your  letter  of  yester- 
day's date.  The  letter  to  my  successor,  of  which  I 
sent  you  a  copy,  plainly  recognizes  all  that  the  ini- 


382  EMPPvESS  EUGENIE 

perial     family    has    clone     tor    Chislehurst,    and    was 
written  to  that  end. 

In  a  preceding  communication  1  thought  it  right 
to  state  to  liim  that  the  Empress  had  been  most  kind 
to  me  personally.  I  have  no  dispute  with  him  of  any 
kind.  For  over  thirty  years  we  have  been  intimate 
friends,  and  I  was  his  first  cure.  1  do  not  approve  of 
one  particular  line  of  conduct,  and  I  have  told  him  so. 

I  mentioned  to  you  in  confidence  the  pain  that  the 
loss  of  the  personal  favour  of  Her  Majesty  caused  me. 
You  are  kind  enough  to  assure  me  that  I  was  mistaken 
in  the  matter,  and  I  am  very  grateful  to  you  for  the 
interest  that  you  have  shown  me." 

The  Empress  and  "  a  little  book." 

"Villa  Cyrnos,  Cap  Martin 
Maritime  Alps, 

Dear  Monsignor  Goddaru,  ^^'^^  2^'  ^^^^■ 

I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  20th  inst., 
and  have  communicated  it  to  Her  Majesty  the  Em- 
press, handing  her  also  your  little  book,*  which  reached 
me  by  the  same  post.  Her  Majesty  received  it  with 
pleasure,  and  will  read  it  with  interest.  She  directs 
me  to  thank  you  for  it. 

I  am  very  happy  to  be  thus  agreeably  reminded  of 
you,  and  beg  you  to  accept  the  expression  of  my  best 
and  very  distinguished  sentiments. 

Franceschini  Pietri." 

To  my  written  offer  to  present  the  Empress  with  the 

whole  of  the  correspondence  printed  in  this  chapter, 

should  she  not  approve  of  the  publication  of  the  letters, 

I  received  from  M.  Pietri  the  subjoined  reply  : 

^  "  A  Manual  of  Ecclesiastical  Law  and  Practice  in  Missionary 
Countries." 


EMPRESS  EUGENIE  AND  MGK  GODDARD  388 

Sir, 


"Hotel  Continental,  Paris, 
January  16,  1910. 


I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  11th  instant, 
accompanied  by  copies  of  different  letters  addressed  to 
Monsignor  Goddard  which  you  intend  to  publish. 
Her  Majesty  having  informed  me,  generally,  of  her 
intention  to  remain  a  stranger  to  all  publication  of 
letters  and  souvenirs  of  her  time,  leaving  to  everyone 
the  liberty  and  the  responsibility  of  that  which 
concerns  them,  I  have  had  to  refrain,  in  accordance 
with  her  desire,  to  communicate  to  her  your  letter, 
and  I  confine  myself  to  informing  you  of  the  orders 
that  I  have  received  to  that  effect. 

I  return  you  the  printed  matter  contained  in  your 
letter,  and  beg  you  to  accept  the  assurance  of  my 
distinguished  sentiments. 

Franceschini  Pietri. 

Monsieur  Edward  Legge." 

Monsignor  Goddard  passed  away  at  Nice  on 
March  26,  1909,  after  a  trying  illness  borne  with 
Christian  fortitude  and  resignation.  A  detailed 
biography  of  this  remarkable  man  which  I  had  pre- 
pared cannot,  unfortunately,  be  given  here  owing  to 
lack  of  space ;  it  will,  I  hope,  appear  in  some  future 
work.  A  summary  of  his  career  was  published  in  the 
Edmundian,  accompanied  by  a  portrait,  which  was 
courteously  presented  to  the  author  by  the  Very 
Rev.  Monsignor  Ward,  of  St.  Edmund's,  Ware,  the 
deservedly  popular  seminary  in  which  Monsignor 
Goddard  had  held  important  positions. 

Appended  are  facsimiles  of  letters  written  to 
Monsignor  Goddard  by  the  Empress  and  the  late 
Prince  Imperial. 


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EMPIIESS  EUGENIE 


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EMPRESS  EUGENIE  AND  MGR.  GODDARD  385 


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25 


APPENDIX 

THE  FAMILY  OF  BONAPARTE  UP  TO  THE  YEAR  1910 

A  MKMRER  of  Prince  Roland  Bonaparte's  cnloumge  courteously  sup- 
plied some  of  the  details  of  the  Bonaparte  family  given  in  the  first  part 
of  this  chapter.  To  begin  at  the  beginning,  Napoleon  I.  had  only 
one  ilirect  heir,  the  "  King  of  Rome,"  popularly  known  as  "  L'Aiglon  " 
and  as  Due  de  Reichstadt.  Two  of  the  Great  Emperor's  brothers 
— Joseph,  King  of  Spain,  and  Louis,  King  of  the  Netherlands — are  not 
represented  by  even  one  male  descendant.  Thus  three  branches  of 
the  family  are  extinct. 

The  present  elder  branch  is  that  of  Prince  Lucien  (a  brother  of 
Napoleon  L),  and  its  only  reisresentative  is  His  Highness  Prince 
Roland  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  father  of  H.R.H.  Princesse  George  of 
Greece.  The  junior  branch  has  for  sole  representatives  their 
Imperial  Highnesses  Prince  Victor  Napoleon  Bonaparte  (the  "  Pre- 
tender," nominated  by  the  Prince  Imperial,  in  his  will,  as  his 
successor)  and  his  brother  Prince  Louis  Napoleon  Bonaparte  (who  is 
a  general  in  the  Russian  Army  and  an  attached  friend  of  the 
Emperor  Nicholas  II.  and  his  consort,  a  niece  of  King  Edward  YIL). 
Prince  Roland  has  no  son,  and  so  is  one  of  the  three  surviving 
Princes  entitled  to  bear  the  historic  name  of  the  victor  at  Austerlitz 
and  the  defeated  at  Waterloo. 

Few  but  students  are  cognizant  of  the  leading  part  played  by  this 
brother  (Prince  Lucien)  of  the  First  Napoleon  in  the  family  history, 
especially  in  the  events  of  the  18th  Brumaire  and  the  proceedings  of 
the  Council  of  Five  Hundred.  For  his  invaluable  services  Napoleon, 
on  the  eve  of  receiving  the  imperial  crown,  offered  his  brother  a 
throne,  and  proposed  that  Lucien  should  contract  a  marriage  which 
would  give  him  greater  political  power.  But  Lucien  was  already 
married  and  father  of  a  family,  and,  to  his  credit,  refused  to  adopt 
Napoleon's  cynical  suggestion,  much  to  the  surprise  and  annoyance 
of  his  elder  brother.  When  the  First  Empire  was  established,  in 
1804,  the  Constitution  admitted  two  of  Napoleon's  four  brothers 
(Joseph  and  Louis)  into  the  imperial  family,  but  excluded  Jerome 
and  Lucien  !  Lucien  was,  later,  banished  by  his  loving  brother  from 
Italy  and  from  all  other  territory  under  the  influence  of  France  ; 
yet  subsequently  Napoleon  was  not  too  proud  to  accept  the 
despised  Lucien's  purse  and  personal  help.  Times  were  critical,  for 
the  year  was  1815,  and  the  Emperor  reinstated  Lucien  (he  had 

386 


THE  FAMILY  OF  BONAPATtTE  387 

nobly  taken  his  brother's  money)  in  the  imperial  family,  and  gave 
him  all  the  titles  attaching  to  his  dignity,  Waterloo  crushed 
Napoleon  and  ruined  Lucien,  who  left  France  ;  all  the  Bonapartes 
were  exiles  (as,  sixty-five  years  later,  were  Napoleon  III.,  the 
Empress  Eugenie,  and  their  son)  ;  and  Lucien's  children,  deprived 
of  their  father's  fortune,  which  the  French  Government  never 
replaced,  had  to  work  for  their  living  under  very  difficult  circum- 
stances. Prince  Roland's  father,  Prince  Pierre,  was  one  of  those 
children. 

Jerome,  brother  of  Napoleon  I.,  had  been  excluded  from  the 
imperial  family  by  the  Great  Emperor  merely  because  he  had 
married,  in  the  United  States,  an  American  lady.  Miss  Patterson. 
At  the  instigation  of  Napoleon  he  abandoned  her,  got  his  marriage 
revoked,  remarried  in  accordance  with  the  Emperor's  views,  and 
became  a  recognized  member  of  the  imperial  family.  Colonel 
Charles  Joseph  Bonaparte,  for  many  years  United  States  Attorney- 
General,  is  a  descendant  of  Prince  Jerome  by  his  marriage  with 
Miss  Patterson.  And  here  let  me  recall  an  interesting  fact.  When 
the  Prince  Imperial  was  buried  at  Chislehurst,  Prince  Charles  Bona- 
parte-Patterson wrote  to  the  Baltimore  Sun  to  say  that,  not  being  a 
member  of  the  "  official "  family  of  the  Bonapartes,  he  and  his 
above-mentioned  brother.  Colonel  Bonaparte,  did  not  consider  their 
family  as  having  any  connection  with  "  a  succession  regulated  by  the 
Senatus  Consultum."  Therefore  they  wei'e  not  present  at  the 
young  Prince's  obsequies. 

We  now  come  to  the  Second  Empire.  At  the  outset  of  his  reign, 
which  lasted  only  a  little  more  than  eighteen  years,  Napoleon  III. 
modified  Napoleon  I.'s  decision  respecting  Prince  Lucien's  descend- 
ants by  dividing  his  family  under  the  headings  "  Imperial "  and 
"  Civil  "  family  ;  those  of  the  latter  section  were  to  be  designated 
"  Highness  " — no  more  and  no  less.  Prince  Lucien's  family,  of 
which  Prince  Roland  is,  as  I  have  said,  a  member,  always  protested 
against  such  a  distinction,  arguing  that  French  law  does  not 
sanction  any  "  degradation  "  concerning  titles.  They  would  never 
recognize  the  distinction  which  was  arbitrarily  imposed  upon  them. 
During  the  Second  Empire  they  had  to  submit  to  Napoleon  III.'s 
decision,  but  at  the  overthrow  of  the  Empire,  in  1870,  they  con- 
tended, and  contend  to-day,  that  the  original  decision  of  Napoleon  I. 
came  again  into  force.  They  base  their  contention  upon  the  fourth 
clause  of  a  law  passed  by  the  French  Parliament  in  1886  (June  22), 
which  enacts  that  "  the  members  of  the  families  which  ha^^e  reigned 
in  France  cannot  enter  the  army  or  the  navy,  nor  hold  any  pul)lic 
post,  nor  accept  any  electoral  mandate."  This  law  was  enforced 
against  a  grandson  of  Prince  Lucien,  Prince  Roland,  who  was  com- 
pelled to  give  up  the  lieutenant's  commission  which  he  had  held 
after  passing  through  Saint-Cyr  ;  and  this.  Prince  Roland  asserts,  is 
a  proof  of  the  justice  of  his  family's  contention. 

In  the  autumn  of  1907,  in  honour  of  the  engagement  of  his 
daughter  to  Prince  George  of  Greece,  Prince  Roland  Bonaparte  gave 

25—2 


38R  EMPrvKSS  EUGP.NTK 

ail  ovoniii^  party  at  his  rosidoiico  in  the  Avomic  dlt'iia.  The  hotol 
is  one  of  the  hirgest  and  most  sumptuous  of  all  tho  "groat"  houses 
ill  the  cHpital.  Those  who  had  not  proviousl}'  made  its  actjuaiiitanco 
were  siu'pnsed  at  tho  niagnificonco  of  the  place,  at  its  thousand  and 
one  ohjf'L-i  d'nrt,  at  its  hibi'lofs,  antl  its  pervading  note  of  liLrc.  "  A 
palace — fit  for  an  Emperor!"  overybody  was  saying.  AVhen  the 
ftHo  w;vs  at  its  height,  about  midnight,  the  st-ene  rivalled,  and 
recalled  to  many,  the  Tuilerios  in  the  latter  years  of  the  Empire. 

The  invitation  card  announced  that  Prince  Roland  Bonaparte 
would  be  rhr:  lui  at  9.30  p.m.  J-Jut  the  guests  began  to  arrive 
before  that  time,  and  continued  to  drive  up  to  the  house  until  one 
tho  ne.\t  morning.  Such  a  procession  of  carriages  and  "autos  "  had 
not  been  witnessed  since  that  memorable  night,  in  1H8(»,  when  tho 
Royalists  invaded  the  Ji<'>fi'l  of  the  Duchesso  do  Gallicra  to  present 
their  homage  to  tho  Comte  and  Comtesse  de  Paris,  and  to  congratu- 
late Princesse  Amelia  on  her  engagement  to  the  future  ill-fated 
King  of  Portugal.  So  dense  was  the  block  caused  by  the  carriages 
in  the  Avenue  and  the  Place  dTena  that  the  wonder  was  that  many 
of  the  guests  ever  crossed  the  threshold  of  their  host's  house  at  all. 
Not  a  few  had  to  wait  in  their  carriages  a  couple  of  hours  or  so  ; 
but  they  did  not  seem  to  mind  it  overmuch.  Others  left  their 
"  autos,"  of  which  there  was  a  marvellous  collection,  and  walked  to 
the  scene  of  the  festivities. 

At  the  entry  to  the  sulk  des  fetes  stood,  on  the  right,  Prince 
Roland ;  immediately  opposite  were  Prince  George  and  Princesse 
Marie.  The  Princesse  was  never  in  greater  beauty.  She  was  in  an 
exquisite  toilette  of  white  tulle  embroidered  in  white  silk  ;  at  the 
base  of  the  skirt  was  a  large  band  of  "  Liberty  "  green.  Her  neck- 
lace was  composed  of  three  rows  of  pearls,  of  fabulous  value,  and  in 
her  abundant  brown  hair  was  a  white  aigrette  de  Paradis.  Severe 
as  was  the  ordeal  imposed  upon  her,  she  bore  herself  with  dignity 
throughout  the  long  hours.  It  was  said  by  many  :  "  She  looks  like 
a  beautiful  animated  statue."  Her  expressive,  winning  face  was 
wreathed  in  smiles.  Nor  was  Prince  George  less  radiant.  He  was 
in  evening  dress,  with  white  waistcoat,  and  the  grand  cordon  of  the 
Legion  of  Honour  agreeably  relieved  his  black  coat.  The  Prince 
had  become  one  of  the  most  popular  figures  in  Paris  society  ;  and 
with  the  large  Greek  colony  he  is  a  great  favourite.  His  geniality 
and  bright  talkas.sured  him  a  hearty  welcome  wherever  he  appeared. 

Senators  and  Deputies  mustered  strongly — even  those  who  are 
not  too  ardent  admirers  of  the  Napoleonic  legend.  General  Mercier 
and  his  wife  were  much  noticed  ;  they  have  many  friends  in  London. 
Admiral  and  Mme.  Fournier  were  the  objects  of  much  attention. 
CJomte  Kobert  de  Montesquiou  was  generally  sunounded  by  an 
animated  group  of  talkers ;  so  were  the  Due  and  Duchcsse  de 
Morny,  and  seeing  them  one  thought  of  the  "  Morny  "  who,  as  the 
half-brother  of  Napoleon  \\\.  (Queen  Hortense  was  the  mother  of 
both),  was  inseparably  associated  with  the  imperial  n'gime. 

The  principal  guest  of  Prince  Roland  was  that  aunt  of  Alfonso  XHI. 


THE  FAMILY  OF  BONAPARTE  389 

who  has  so  many  friends  in  England,  H.R.H.  the  Infante  Eulalie, 
who  was  accompanied  to  the  reception  by  Mme.  Lambert  de  Sainte- 
Croix.  Next  in  importance,  perhaps,  was  the  Princesse  Radolin, 
wife  of  the  German  Ambassador ;  and  there  are  no  more  inveterate 
party -givers  and  party-goers  in  Paris  than  "  the  Eadolins."  The 
sport-loving  M.  Edmond  Blanc,  one  of  whose  sisters  Prince  Roland 
married,  looked  well  pleased  at  the  triumphs  of  his  niece,  near 
whom  were  to  be  seen  her  aunts,  the  Mar<|uise  de  Villeneuve  (Prin- 
cesse Jeanne  Bonaparte,  Prince  Roland's  only  sister)  and  Princesse 
Constantin  Radzivill. 

Of  the  men,  scarcely  one  was  undecorated.  The  Ambassadors  and 
Ministers  wore  their  stars,  crosses,  plaques,  medals,  and  ribbons,  and 
the  Senators  and  Deputies,  the  members  of  the  Academic  and  the 
Institut,  all  had  adornments  of  one  kind  or  other. 

By  her  marriage  with  H.R.H.  Prince  George  of  Greece,  Princesse 
Marie  Bonaparte,  Prince  Roland's  only  child,  became — 

Daughter-in-law  of  the  King  and  Queen  of  the  Hellenes, 

Sister-in-law  of  the  children  of  the  Royal  House  of  Greece. 

Niece  by  marriage  of  the  King  and  Queen  of  Denmark, 

Niece  by  marriage  of  King  Edward, 

Niece  by  marriage  of  Queen  Alexandra, 

Niece  by  marriage  of  the  Dowager  Empress  of  Russia, 

Niece  by  marriage  of  H.R.H.  the  Duchess  of  Cumberland  (sister 
of  Queen  Alexandra  and  the  Dowager  Empress  of  Russia),  and 

Cousin  by  marriage  of  the  Tsar. 

She  is  a  connection  by  birth  of  the  Empress  Eugenie  (whose 
consort  was  a  cousin  of  the  late  Prince  Pierre  Bonaparte,  Princesse 
Marie's  paternal  grandfather)  ;  a  connection  of  Prince  Victor  Bona- 
parte (the  "  Pretender  ")  and  his  brother.  General  Prince  Louis 
Bonaparte  ;  and  a  distant  connection  of  the  Spanish  Duke  of  Alba 
(grandnephew  of  the  Empress  Eugenie,  whose  only  sister  married  a 
Duke  of  Alba). 

Princesse  Marie  is  a  great-grandniece  of  Napoleon  L  Her  father 
is  the  only  son  of  the  late  Prince  and  Princesse  Pierre  Bonaparte. 
Her  mother  was  a  daughter  (Marie)  of  the  late  M.  Francois  Blanc, 
whose  exploitation  of  the  gaming-tables  at  Homburg,  and  later  at 
Monte  Carlo,  enabled  him  to  leave,  according  to  some  authorities,  a 
fortune  of  £8,000,000.  M.  Blanc  died  in  1877,  and  is  believed  to 
have  left  for  division  amongst  his  five  children  £3,200,000  in  cash, 
besides  landed  property.  It  is  told  of  him  that  on  his  death-bed  he 
plaintively  remarked  :  "  I  have  worked  very  bard,  yet  I  have  not 
made  enough  money  for  my  children  !"  His  widow  died  in  188L 
Their  eldest  daughter  married  Prince  Constantin  Radzivill,  of  thff 
well-known  Polish  family.  One  of  their  three  sons,  M.  Edmond 
Blanc,  is  the  popular  sportsman,  who  from  time  to  time  increases  his 
stud  by  the  purchase  of  English  horses.  Mile.  Marie  Blanc,  on  her 
marriage  with  Prince  Roland  Bonaparte,  received  a  "dot"  of 
£40,000,  the  sum  given  to  her  sister  when  she  married  Prince  Con- 
stantin  Radzivill ;  and   it  is  said  that  when  Princesse  Marie,  the 


:^.)0  EMPRESS  EUCF.NIE 

consort  of  Piince  Ueorge  of  (Ti-oece,  onmo  of  at^e,  slu-  iiilu'iitcd  a 
sum  t)f  i!SOO,00(\  wliirh  may  t»r  may  not  liavo  iiicreasod  (luiiiif;  tlio 
lajit  low  yt'ars. 

I'riiu'osso  lioorge  of  CIrotTo,  who  at  tho  date  of  her  marriage  in 
l>oi-oinlior,  l'.)()7,  was  twenly-tivt^  is  a  brunette,  tall  and  .svv'//<;.  She  is 
credited  with  possessing  many  a('(H)mi)lishments.  Erudite  professors 
instructed  lier  in  "all  the  sciences."  She  studietl  astronomy,  for 
which  she  is  asserted  to  have  a  jinir/iaul,  under  the  venerabh! 
.lanssen,  her  father's  colleague  at  the  InsLitut.  Her  father  taught 
her  Latin.  She  speaks  with  great  facility  Knglish,  (lerman,  and 
Italian,  and  is  well  versed  in  the  literature  of  all  tlirci^  couiitiies. 
Her  favourite  stud\'  is  music,  in  which  she  is  proficient.  Those  who 
are  best  accpiaintcd  with  the  i'rincesse  commend  her  for  her  charities 
and  hci'  care  for  the  humble.  Wealthy,  and  the  possessor  of  a  gieat 
historical  name,  she  had  many  suitors.  Prince  George  was,  however, 
the  only  aspirant  who  foiuid  favour  in  her  eyes.  There  are  two 
children  :  Pierre  Pctros  (Pierre)  was  born  in  Paris  on  December  3, 
1908;  Princesse  Eugenie  (named  after  the  Empress)  was  born,  also 
in  the  French  capital,  February  10,  1910.  I  am  authorized  to  state 
that  both  children  belong  to  the  Orthodox  Greek  Church. 

This  marriage  does  not,  strange  to  say,  constitute  the  first  link 
between  the  Koyal  House  of  Greece  and  the  Imperial  House  of 
France — a  fact  which  is,  perhaps,  little  known.  Princesse  Marie 
Bonaparte  had  a  grand-uncle  in  Prince  Paul  (a  son  of  Prince  Lucien), 
who,  in  182G,  was  a  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  Philhellenic  Legion. 
He  fell  fighting,  and  was  the  only  Prince  who  sacrificed  his  life  to 
obtain  independence  for  Greece.  Prince  Paul  had  distinguished 
himself  in  several  engagements,  and  met  his  fate  in  an  attack  on 
one  of  Admiral  Cochrane's  ships. 

Prince  Roland  Bonaparte  is  not  what  is  called  an  "  exclusively 
Parisian  "  figure.  He  belongs  to  the  world  of  letters  and  science. 
After  the  sudden  death  of  his  wife  he  devoted  his  whole  time  to  his 
daughter  and  to  scientific  pursuits.  As  the  law^  would  not  permit 
of  his  becoming  a  French  general,  he  made  up  his  mind  to  distin- 
guish himself  as  a  French  savant.  Even  before  leaving  the  army 
Prince  lioland  had  cultivated  science,  or,  rather,  many  branches  of 
science,  including  geology,  zoology,  botany,  and  anthropology,  study- 
ing the  latter  in  the  school  founded  by  Dr.  Paul  Broca.  His  first 
important  essays  in  anthropology  date  from  1883.  In  that  year 
there  was  a  Colonial  Exhibition  at  Amsterdam,  rich  in  anthropo- 
logical collections.  There  the  Prince  studied  types  of  humanity 
from  the  Malay  Archipelago  and  South  America,  the  result  taking 
the  shape  of  a  volume  on  "  The  Inhabitants  of  Surinam,"  which  was 
laid  before  the  French  Geographical  Society  by  the  renowned 
De  Quatresfages. 

The  Paris  Exhibitions  of  1889  and  1900  furnished  Prince  Poland 
with  opportunities  for  making  fresh  researches.  Then  he  travelled 
through  Denmark,  Sweden,  and  Germany,  previous  to  making  the 
acquaintance  of  the  Laplanders.     From  that  expedition  he  returned 


THE  FAMILY  OF  BONAPARTE  391 

to  Paris  with  notebooks  well  stored  with  anthropometrical  observa- 
tions and  numerous  photographs  of  the  Laps,  both  full-face  and 
in  profile,  in  accordance  with  the  teachings  of  Broca.  These  were 
woven  into  another  volume.  The  anthropology,  geology,  and  botany 
of  Corsica  were  fnlly  treated  in  the  Prince's  book,  "  Une  Excursion 
en  Corse,"  which  appeared  twenty  years  ago.  At  that  time,  too, 
he  went  on  an  exploring  expedition  to  North  America,  Canada,  and 
Mexico,  occupying  himself  chiefly  with  a  study  of  the  Indian  races. 
Geographical  studies  have  had  a  particular  fascination  for  the  Prince, 
and  in  this  direction  he  has  made  for  himself  an  enviable  reputation, 
while  his  purse  has  been  always  open  when  it  was  a  question  of 
furthering  the  ends  of  science.  In  February,  1907,  Prince  Roland 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  Academic  des  Sciences  by  thirty-six 
votes  as  against  eighteen  recorded  for  his  principal  competitor  for 
the  honour,  M.  Tannery.  The  vacancy  was  caused  by  the  much- 
regretted  death  of  M.  Bischoftsheim.  Prince  Roland  is  the  fourth 
Bonaparte  who  has  been  a  member  of  this  distinguished  body  :  the 
first  to  be  elected  was  General  Bonaparte,  the  second  Prince  Lucien 
(grandfather  of  Prince  Roland),  and  the  third  Prince  Jerome,  the 
redoubtable  cousin  of  Napoleon  III.  But  for  his  temporary  indis- 
position Prince  Roland  would  have  presided  over  the  Aeronautical 
Conference  held  in  London  in  January,  1909. 

In  the  following  June  Prince  Roland,  representing  the  French 
Geographical  Society,  was  a  guest  of  the  Royal  Societies  Club  at 
a  complimentary  luncheon  in  honour  of  Lieutenant  (now  Sir  Ernest) 
Shackleton  ;  was  entertained  by  their  Majesties  at  Windsor  Castle  ; 
and,  as  a  foremost  scientist,  was  the  recipient  of  an  honorary  degree 
at  Cambridge  in  connection  with  the  Darwin  Centenary.  Honorary 
membership  of  the  Royal  Societies  Club  was  also  conferred  upon 
the  Prince,  whose  name  adds  lustre  to  the  club's  roll  of  some 
3,000  distinguished  savants.  Prince  Roland's  congratulations  to  Sir 
E.  Shackleton  upon  his  hitherto  unparalleled  achievements  in  South 
Polar  regions  were  unreservedly  enthusiastic.  His  Highness  warmly 
thanked  the  committee  and  the  founder  of  the  club  (Mr.  Lewis- 
Poole)  for  enabling  him  to  take  part  in  this  memorable  function, 
which  was  presided  over  by  the  Earl  of  Halsbury.  Prince  Roland 
was  accompanied  to  England  by  his  secretary,  M.  Jaunez  des 
Mares,  who  was  also  among  the  guests  of  the  King  and  Queen  at 
Windsor. 

Until  the  marriage  of  Prince  Roland's  daughter  in  1907,  there 
had  been  only  two  Bonapartist  weddings  since  1871.  In  the 
September  of  that  year  there  was  a  marriage  at  Newport,  U.S.A., 
between  Colonel  Jerome  Bonaparte  (described  as  "of  Paris,  France  ") 
and  Mrs.  Catherine  Leroy  Edgar.  The  bridegroom  was  a  grand- 
nephew  of  Najjoleon  I.  and  a  grandson  of  Jerome  Bonaparte  ;  ho 
found  favour  with  Napoleon  III.,  who  invited  him  to  Paris  and 
treated  him  with  marked  distinction.  His  absence  from  the  Prince 
Imperial's  funeral  has  been  already  explained. 

"The  second  Bonaparte  marriage  took  place  in  September,  1888, 


392  RMPPvESS  EUC15NIK 

whoii  rrinccsso  La>titirt,  ilauuhtt'i-  of  the  lato  Princo  (.Ti'^ronio) 
NnjHiIooii  tuiil  of  rriiu-osso  ClotiKlo  (a  dauglitor  of  King  VicU)r 
KiiMiiaimel  II.),  was  wo<ldeil  to  her  widower  uncle,  the  late  Due 
«1  Aostf,  the  one-time  Kini;  Aniadeus  of  Spain.  The  niarriaije,  which 
wjvs  solemnized  at  Turin,  aroused  intense  interest  thioughout  itai}', 
jMirtly  hee.'uise  of  the  liij^h  position  (»f  the  tutntiactini^  parties,  and 
iMirtly  on  aee(junt  of  tlieir  near  relationship.  Tlic  daui;lilers  of  the 
l)ue  d'Aoste  were,  it  was  .said  at  the  time,  not  ovor|)lea.sed  at  the 
prosj)ect  of  having  a  stepmother  ;  hut  the  throe  sons  proved  that 
they  were  eapahle  of  acting  very  generously  undci'  the  eireumstanees. 
The  Castle  of  Cisterna  had  come  to  the  I  hie  thiough  his  first  wife, 
and  it  was  his  intention  not  to  have  resided  there  with  l*rincesse 
Livtitia,  hut  the  sons  begged  him  to  continue  to  make  it  his  home, 
and  he  consented  to  do  so.  The  late  Due  d'Aoste  was  nearly  doul)le 
the  age  of  Princesse  Lietitia  Bonaparte.  At  the  marriage  of  the 
uncle  and  niece  at  Turin,  the  sons  of  the  Due  d'Aoste  rode  to  and 
from  the  church  alongside  the  carriage  of  the  bridal  pair.  Theie 
was  a  great  coolness  between  the  members  of  the  Koyal  House  of 
Savoy  and  the  Bonapartes.  All  the  wedding  guests  stayed  at  the 
Castle  of  Cisterna  excepting  the  bride's  father  (Prince  Napoleon)  and 
her  brother  (the  Russianized  General  Prince  Louis).  Prince  Victor 
Bonaparte  was  not  present  at  his  sister's  wedding,  in  consequence  of 
his  father's  objection  to  his  attendance  I  AVhen  Prince  Napoleon 
and  his  3'oungest  son  arrived  at  Turin,  nobody  awaited  them  at  the 
railway-station,  not  even  Princesse  Laetitia  and  her  mother,  Prin- 
cesse Clotilde.  The  authorities  had  received  instructions  to  receive 
the  two  Bonaparte  Princes,  but  at  the  last  moment  the  orders  were 
countermanded,  and  Prince  Napoleon  and  his  .son  proceeded  alone 
to  the  Hotel  de  I'Europe.  It  was  expected  that  the  Empress 
Eugenie  would  have  attended  the  wedding,  but  this  hope  was  not 
fulfilled. 

Princesse  Laetitia  has  amongst  her  treasures  one  which  she 
probably  sets  great  store  by  now  that  Fran<^ois  Coppee  has  passed 
away — this  poem,  written  by  the  author  of  "  Le  Pas.sant"  on  a  fan, 
the  wedding  present  of  Comte  Primoli,  a  devoted  friend  of  the 
Empress  Eugenie  : 

' '  Au  sein  du  Paris  populeux 

Le  Palais  Royal  voudrait  oroire 
Que  vous  avez  garde  memoire 
De  ses  pauvrea  gazons  frileux. 

"  Que  de  tumultes  orageiix 

Out  battu  sa  muraille  noire  ! 

C'est  la  poussiere  de  I'histoire 

Que  I'enfance  y  foule  en  ses  jeux. 

"  Mais  devant  cette  image,  Altesse, 
Point  de  souvenirs  de  tristesse, 
Et  puisque  votre  creur  est  pris 

"  D'une  sympathie  obstinee 

Pour  la  France  et  le  vieux  Paris, 
Songez  quelquefois  :   '  J'y  suia  nee.'" 


THE  FAMILY  OF  BONAPARTE  393 

Prince  Victor  Bonaparte,  who  has  figured  in  the  role  of  "  Pre- 
tender "  since  1879,  is  the  elder  of  the  two  sons  of  the  late  Prince 
Jerdme,  better  known  as  "Prince  Napoleon."  Prince  Jerome's 
father,  who  bore  the  same  Christian  name,  married  an  American 
lady,  a  member  of  the  well-known  Patterson  family,  of  New  Jersey. 
Prince  Napoleon,  the  father  of  the  Pretender  of  to-day  and  of 
General  Prince  Louis  Bonaparte,  took  umbrage  at  the  Prince 
Imperial's  selection  of  Victor  as  his  successor  ;  for  Prince  Napoleon 
pere  was  firmly  convinced  that  he  himself  was  the  legitimate  repre- 
sentative of  the  dynasty  after  the  death  of  the  son  of  Napoleon  III. 
Prince  Napoleon  was  present,  accompanied  by  his  sons,  at  the  Prince 
Imperial  s  funeral,  but  he  carried  his  resentment  to  the  length  of 
refusing  to  see  the  Empress  after  the  obsequies ;  and  when  he,  too, 
paid  the  debt  of  nature,  it  was  found  that  he  had  cut  his  daughter 
and  his  eldest  son  out  of  his  will. 

Prince  Jerome  Napoleon  was  much  incensed  with  M.  Rouher, 
whom  he  credited  with  the  authorship  of  the  Prince  Imperial's  will 
— at  all  events,  with  the  portion  of  the  document  nominating  Prince 
Victor  as  head  of  the  Bonapartes  ;  and  he  declined  to  recognize  his 
eldest  son  as  the  Imperialist  Pretender  to  the  throne.  The  marriage 
of  Napoleon  III.  was  bitterly  opposed  by  Prince  Napoleon,  whose 
appeals,  threats,  and  prognostications  of  disaster  to  the  dynasty 
failed,  however,  to  change  the  mind  of  his  illustrious  relative,  bent 
as  he  was  on  placing  the  lovely  young  Spaniard  on  the  throne  of 
France.  One  remembers  that,  at  the  funeral  of  the  Prince  Imperial, 
Prince  Napoleon  presented  his  sons  to  Queen  Victoria,  and  it  is  due 
to  his  memory  to  say  that  at  that  time  he  was  saluted  on  all  sides  as 
chief  of  the  imperialist  party. 

Prince  Jerome  and  his  eldest  son  had  long  been  aux  prises,  and 
they  openly  broke  with  each  other  in  1884.  Letters  which  had 
passed  between  father  and  son  were  made  public.  According  to 
these  epistles,  Victor,  having  promised  not  to  take  any  political  step 
in  opposition  to  his  father's  wishes,  nevertheless,  on  May  19,  1884, 
announced  his  intention  of  leaving  his  father's  house  and  residing 
alone.  It  now  appeared  that  the  yoinig  Prince  had  a  substantial 
independent  income,  the  source  of  which  was  variously  attributed  to 
the  bequest  of  a  friend  of  the  Pretender  and  to  a  "  whip,"  made  at 
the  instigation  of  M.  Jolibois,  amongst  the  Prince's  Parliamentary 
and  other  adherents. 

Prince  Victor,  or,  to  give  him  his  correct  title,  "  Prince  Napoleon," 
is  an  imposing  figure.  He  is  of  more  than  average  height  and 
slightly  inclined  to  corpulency.  A  high  forehead,  piercing  eyes,  and 
a  heavy  moustache  are  his  facial  characteristics.  He  lives  a  very 
quiet  life  in  the  Avenue  Louise  at  Brussels. 

In  May  and  June,  1908,  there  was  some  little  speculation  con- 
cerning his  reasons  for  undertaking  a  series  of  visits  to  various 
Courts.  The  Emperor  Francis  Joseph  received  him  at  the  Hofburg, 
the  ex-Sultan,  Abdul  Hamid,  entertained  him  for  several  days  at 
Constantinople,  and  he  was  successively  the  guest  of  the  King  and 


;V.).i  F.MPlUvSS  EITCRNTK 

(^>iUHMi  of  KouniJiiiia,  llu>  Kiiii;  of  Scin  ia,  and  Kiiit;  I'Vrdinaiul  uf 
Huli^aria.  Priiu-o  Napoleon  coik  huicd  his  ioumee  by  u  visit  to  his 
motlier,  Prinrosse  (Molildo.  at  Moncahori. 

(n'lioml  I'liiu'c  Louis,  the  Pretender's  only  hrothei-,  is  an  occa- 
sional ijnest  of  the  Mnipress  lMiL;t'nie.  He  is  a  Kiu'ght  of  tho  lUilian 
Onler  of  the  Annnnciada  and  of  the  Russian  Order  of  St.  Andrew. 
rrinoo  houis,  of  stalwart  lii^nrc  and  distinguished  mien,  the  .soldier 
all  over,  has  Knijlish  friends  ;  ainon_<,'st  these  are  Sir  K<lnunul  and 
Lady  Loder,  whom  he  visited  in  Aui^nst,  1907,  at  Leonai'dslca, 
Horsham.  He  had  a  small  prcjpeity,  La  Borgeiic,  on  the  Lake 
of  CJeneva,  which  he  is  said  to  have  dispt»sed  of  in  1001).  I'riiifti 
Louis  is  not,  as  the  English  papers  .sometimes  have  it,  the 
Empress  Eugenie's  "nephew,"  but  simply  tho  son  of  a  cousin — 
*'  the  '"  cousin^ — of  Napoleon  HL  I'nlike  his  brother,  General  Prince 
Louis  is  not  an  exile.  He  has  many  friends  in  Paris,  and  might 
have  been  seen,  in  the  spring  of  1907,  huiching  at  a  noted  restaurant 
on  the  "  Italiens "  with  the  Grand  Duke  Nicholas  Michailovitch, 
M.  and  Mme.  Fredt'Hc  Masson,  M.  Paul  Bourget,  and  General 
Brumraer.  Prince  Louis  has  never  been  ''  Governor  of  the 
Caucasus,"  except  by  a  freak  of  journalistic  imagination  ;  but  he 
did  good  service,  in  1906,  in  repressing  the  revolutionary  movement 
in  that  region.  He  is  highly  popular  in  Russian  military  and 
official  circles,  and  a  prominent  figure  in  St.  Petersburg  society.  He 
calls  cousins  with  the  King  of  Italy,  partly  through  his  mother,  anrl 
partly  throu.L'h  the  marriage  of  his  sister  with  her  uncle,  the  late 
l>uc  d'Aoste. 

Prince  Louis  is  not  unendowed  with  this  world's  goods,  for  he 
inherited  the  fortune  of  his  aunt,  Princesse  Mathilde — said  to  have 
been  nearly  £100,000— when  she  died  in  January,  190-i.  The  pearl 
necklace  which  was  given  by  Napoleon  L  to  the  Princess  of  Wuitem- 
berg  was  also  left  to  the  Tsar's  F>ench  general  by  Princesse  Mathilde, 
who  bequeathed  various  heirlooms,  jewellery  and  pictures,  to  Princesse 
Clotilde,  Prince  Victor,  and  the  Dowager-Duchesse  d'Aoste.  Her 
private  papers  were  left  to  Comte  Joseph  Primoli. 

Princesse  Mathilde  was  buried  in  the  Church  of  St.  Gratien,  and 
just  outside  that  little  town  she  resided  for  many  years  in  her 
chateau.  \iy  the  fortune  of  war  I  was  quartered,  with  the  Saxon 
troops,  at  St.  Gratien  in  1870,  and  found  the  "occupied"  residence 
of  Prince  Louis'  celeljrated  aunt  and  the  beautiful  grounds  very 
pleasant  in  those  golden  autumn  days  of  the  "  Terrible  Year."  As 
it  is  often  reported  that  Prince  Louis  may  be  invited  by  his 
brother  to  assume  the  role  of  Pretender  at  any  time,  the  fact  ma}^ 
be  recorded  that  in  March,  1906,  the  Bonapartist  journal,  the  .Ifi^el 
au  Peuple,  was  authorized  by  Prince  Victor  to  say  that  he  had  no 
intention  of  "  renouncing  all  political  ambition."  His  .series  of  visits 
to  foreign  Courts  in  1908  would  alone  seem  to  be  a  proof  that 
he  will  not  abrogate  his  position  of  claimant  to  the  rulership  of 
France. 

If,  however,  any  doubts  upon  this  point  still  existed,  they  were 


THE  FAMILY  OF  BONAPARTE  395 

dispelled  in  the  following  year.  On  March  10,  1909,  the  day  after 
the  Chamber  of  Deputies  had  voted  the  Income  Tax  Bill,  Prince 
Napoleon  caused  to  be  published  in  the  principal  Paris  papers  a 
letter,  of  portentous  length,  which  he  had  addressed  to  M.  Poriquet, 
the  venerable  doyen  of  the  Senate.  This  elaborate  document  was 
in  effect,  as  it  was  obviously  intended  to  be,  a  "manifesto,"  and 
bore  the  date  of  March  9  (the  day  preceding  its  publication).  In  it 
the  Pretendei'  attacked  "  I'impot  sur  le  revenu  "  root  and  branch. 
"It  will  enable  the  rich  to  escape  from  the  exigences  of  the  //sfi  ;  the 
burden  of  the  tax  will  fall  upon  the  middle  class."  The  Prince 
analyzed  the  measure  very  closely  and  very  ably  ;  and  he  displayed 
his  astuteness  by  getting  the  document  published  at  the  psycho- 
logical moment.  The  Prince  made  his  "  appeal "  in  these  final 
passages  of  his  very  able  letter  : 

"  The  name  which  I  bear  imposes  upon  me  the  duty  of  interesting 
myself  in  the  affairs  of  France.  In  addressing  these  lines  to  the 
venerable  doyen  of  the  Senate,  I  experience  a  patriotic  satisfaction. 
I  am  not  the  man  of  a  party,  and  I  fully  recognize  the  merits  of  my 
political  opponents.  I  know  that  a  large  number  of  convinced 
Republicans  think  what  I  have  expressed  aloud.  Exiled  as  the 
eldest  member  of  my  family,  whose  history,  ever  since  the  French 
Eevolution,  is  closely  linked  with  that  of  the  country,  I  hope  that  a 
day  will  come  when  even  those  who  have  banished  me  from  my 
native  land  will  recognize  the  iniquity  of  these  exceptional  laws. 
They  have  struck,  in  me,  a  Frenchman  who  to-day,  as  twenty  years 
ago,  aspires  only  to  the  honour  of  serving  France.  I  consider  I  am 
serving  her  in  drawing  attention  to  the  peril  which  threatens  her." 

The  visit  of  the  King  of  Portugal  to  King  Edward  and  the  Queen  in 
November,  1909,  afforded  Prince  Napoleon  an  opportunity  of  making 
the  acquaintance  of  the  Portuguese  monarch.  On  November  24, 
King  Manoel  received  the  Bonapartist  Pretender  at  Buckingham 
Palace  ;  and  an  hour  or  two  later  the  young  King  lunched  Avith  his 
uncle,  the  Due  d'Orleans  (the  Royalist  Pretender  to  the  French 
throne),  at  the  Portuguese  Legation,  their  host  being  the  Marquis 
de  Soveral,  the  Minister  of  Portugal,  one  of  King  Edward's  intimate 
friends. 

A  member  of  the  family  who  is  seldom  heard  of,  but  who  came 
to  Chislehurst  with  her  husband.  Prince  Napoleon,  for  the  Emperor's 
funeral,  is  Princesse  Clotilde,  daughter  of  the  "  Rey  Galantuomo," 
and  mother  of  the  Princes  Victor  and  Louis  Bonaparte  and 
Princesse  Lttititia,  Dowager-Duchesse  d'Aoste.  Since  her  husband's 
death,  Princesse  Clotilde  has  lived  in  the  strictest  retirement  in  her 
Italian  home,  Moncalieri.  Her  daughter  has  been  seen  very  seldom 
at  Farnborough  Hill. 

I  read  in  a  London  paper  on  February  3,  1908,  in  a  biography  of 
Dom  Carlos,  the  ill-fated  King  of  Portugal,  this  surprising  para- 
graph :  "  Prince  Victor  Napoleon,  in  his  recent  volume  of  Memoirs, 
expressed  the  opinion  that,  among  royal  litUruteurs,  Queen  Amelie  of 
Portugal  was  entitled  to  the  first  place.     She  is,  according  to  Prince 


;V.)r»  EMPRESS  ElTOl^NTE 

Victor,  ail  aocomplisheil  short-story  writer,  ami  iho  author  of  severul 
novels  ilealitiL;  with  the  social  life  of  Portugal.'  So  the  Menu)irs 
of  the  Treteiuler,  the  head  of  the  House  of  Bonaparte,  had  been 
published,  and  we  in  London  were  in  sujiiinie  ignorance  of  the 
existencG  of  such  a  volume  !  It  was  more  than  stiange,  for  in  a 
certiiin  sense  the  Memoirs  of  this  Honapaitist  I'rince,  who  is  so  often 
to  he  seen  at  the  Carlton  or  ilio  Savo}'  when  tlie  iOinpress  is  in 
ifsidcnci-  at  Farnhorough  Hill,  Mould  In;  scarcely  less  interesting 
than  the  llohenlohe  volumes.  I  applied  to  His  Imperial  Highness 
for  information,  and  was  honoured  hy  the  following  reply  from 
Brussels  : 

"MaISON    he   S.A.I.    I.K    I'lilNrK    NArOl.EDN, 

Fcbnutnj  '2.1,  l'J08. 

Monsieur, 

Son  Altesse  Imperiale   n'a  jamais   public   de   Menioires,  ni 
aucun  autre  ouvrage. 

Je  ne  sais  d'oii  pent  provenir  cette  nouvelle,  qui,  Tan  passt*,  m'a 
dt'ja  fait  recevoir  de  nombreuses  demandes  de  renseignements. 

Veuillez  agreer,  Monsieur,  I'assurance  de  mes  sentiments  dis- 
tingues. 

H.  Beneyton." 

[His  Imperial  Highness  has  never  published  his  Memoirs,  nor 
any  other  work.  I  do  not  know  the  source  of  the  statement,  which, 
in  1907,  led  to  my  receiving  numerous  requests  for  information. — 
H.  Beneyton.] 

When,  in  the  autumn  of  1909,  the  "Waterloo  Relics  "  were  offered 
for  sale  (and  not  disposed  of)  at  Brussels,  the  foreign  and  some 
English  papers  announced  that  Trince  Victor  had  resolved  to  acquire 
the  whole  of  the  collection.  M,  Beneyton  was  again  at  the  trouble 
of  writing  to  me  to  the  effect  that  the  report  was  baseless,  the 
Prince  never  having  had  any  intention  of  purchasing  any  part  of  the 
collection. 

The  death  of  the  King  of  the  Belgians  in  December,  1909,  afforded 
the  Continental  papers  an  opportunity  of  again  directing  their  search- 
light upon  the  Head  of  the  Bonapartes.  "  Four  years  ago,"  .said  the 
Paris  Temps,  "  a  rumour  relating  to  the  Royal  Family  was  circulated 
at  Brussels.  It  was  a  question  of  the  marriage  of  Princesse  Clemen- 
tine (for  whom  King  Leopold  had  always  the  greatest  affection)  and 
Prince  Victor  Napoleon,  who  resides  at  Bru.ssels.  The  King,  it  was 
stated,  strongly  opposed  the  match,  not  only  because  an  alliance 
between  the  great-granddaughter  of  Louis  Philippe  and  the  heir  of 
the  Bonapart€s  did  not  appear  to  him  suitable,  but  also  because, 
from  the  political  point  of  view,  he  considered  impos.sible  an  alliance 
of  a  Belgian  Royal  Princess  with  a  Prince  Pretender  to  the  throne 
of  France,  who,  residing  in  Belgium,  might  none  the  less  be  re- 
quested to  leave  Belgian  territory  in  the  event  of  a  Bonapartist 
agitation  in  Paris." 

A  version  of  the  above  appeared  in  the  English  Press  about  the 


THE  FAMILY  OF  BONAPARTE         397 

time  referred  to  by  the  Temps,  supplemented  by  details  which  some 
may  have  considered  piquant,  but  which  were  wholly  inaccurate, 
and  calculated  to  give  the  utmost  annoyance  to  the  august  personages 
concerned. 

Before  taking  leave  of  the  Bonapartist  Princes,  I  must  devote  a 
few  supplementary  lines  to  Prince  Jerome,  whose  widow,  Princesse 
Clotilde,  resides  in  Italy.  Of  Prince  Jerome  I  have  a  clear  recollec- 
tion for  two,  amongst  other,  reasons :  First,  because  of  his  striking 
resemblance  to  his  uncle,  Napoleon  I. ;  and,  next,  because  he  was 
the  only  man  who  looked  on  apparently,  though  perhaps  not  really, 
unmoved  when  the  last  rites  of  the  Church  were  being  performed  at 
Chislehurst,  in  1879,  over  the  body  of  the  Prince  Imperial.  "Prince 
Napoleon,"  as  it  will  be  convenient  here  to  speak  of  him,  has  been 
very  severely  criticized  by  some  historians  of  the  Second  Empire, 
whose  example  I  will  not  follow.  If  he  deserved  half  of  what  has 
been  said  about  him,  he  has  had  his  full  measure  of  punishment — 
at  all  events  in  this  world. 

The  Prince  had,  however,  his  admirers  ;  and  those  who  knew 
something  of  the  line  he  pursued  in  the  early  days  of  the  war  were 
not  slow  to  commend  him.  But  these  appear  to  have  been  few  in 
number,  and  the  expression  of  their  good  opinion  has  seldom  reached 
this  country.  The  Prince  hastened  to  Paris  from  Norway,  in 
response  to  a  telegram  announcing  the  declaration  of  war  by  France, 
in  July,  1870.  He  soon  made  his  presence  felt  at  the  Tuileries,  for 
he  roundly  abused  his  imperial  cousin  for  going  to  war  with  a 
powerful  neighbour  at  a  moment  when  Napoleon  III.  must  have 
known  that  the  French  Army  was  quite  unprepared  to  take  the  field, 
and  the  navy,  as  soon  became  obvious,  unfit  to  go  to  sea.  But  nobody 
heeded  Jerome.  Thanks,  in  a  great  measure,  to  his  very  liberal 
ideas,  the  Prince  was  both  liked  and  appreciated  by  the  Emperor, 
over  whom  he  had  acquired  considerable  influence — so  much  so, 
indeed,  that  he  was  regarded  by  the  Court,  and  more  especially  by 
"the  Empress's  party,"  with  the  utmost  jealousy  and  disdain.  That, 
after  the  Emperor's  death.  Prince  Napoleon  was  misrepresented  to 
the  Prince  Imperial  by  interested  persons  there  seems  to  be  little 
doubt.  Where  Prince  Napoleon  has  been  held  to  be  wrong  was  in 
the  hostile  attitude  which  he  assumed  to  his  son  Victor  when  the 
young  man  resolved  to  quit  his  home  and  set  up  an  establishment 
of  his  own.  Here,  again,  some  allowance  must  be  made  for  Prince 
Napoleon,  who  (the  Emperor  and  the  Prince  Imperial  being  both 
dead)  had,  as  is  noted  elsewhere,  reason  to  believe  that  he  was  the 
head  of  the  House  of  Bonaparte,  despite  the  Prince  Imperial's 
nomination  of  Prince  Victor  as  his  successor. 

In  1908  it  was  announced  that  the  well-known  M.  Robert  Mitchell 
had  written,  and  would  publish,  his  Memoirs.  M.  Mitchell  has 
been  all  his  life  a  devoted  Bonapartist,  and  in  his  new  work, 
which  cannot  fail  to  be  of  great  value  to  the  student  of  the 
Second  Empire  period,  he  has  something  to  say  of  Prince  Napoleon. 
M.  Mitchell  did  not  make  the  Prince's  acquaintance  until  shortly 


308  KMIMIESS  EUOF.NIE 

boforo  tho  war,  whoii  he  was  invitoil  to  call  upon  His  Imperial 
Hit;hiicss  al  liis  rosidtMico  in  tho  I'alais  Koyal— a  sinnj)tU()iis  alxxic, 
to  wliieh,  as  tlio  authi)!'  of  a  very  oiiU'itiiiiiing  Kii>;lisli  work  on  Llic 
Sei'oiul  Kmpiro  has  ti)l(l  us,  the  celebrated  Cora  Pearl  (Emma 
Crouch)  wjis  not  altO'jother  a  stranger.  "  It  seemed  to  me,"  says 
M.  Mit<?hell,  "that  the  (Jroat  Emperor  was  standing  before  mo. 
The  resembhinco  was  most  striking,  tho  Prince,  however,  being 
oven  more  imperial-looking  than  his  luiclo,  Napoleon  I.  Born  in 
the  purple,  he  found  himself  in  his  right  j)laco  on  the  stops  of  tho 
throne,  and  perhaps  thought  that  fortune  might  raise  him  still 
higher.  Those  of  his  friends  who  wore  really  attached  to  him  wore 
few  in  number ;  for  it  was  necessary  to  know  him  intimately  in 
order  to  put  up  with  his  whims  and  his  violent  temperament.  As 
democratic  as  the  Koman  C;csars,  he  could  be  familiar  on  occasion  ; 
but  oftener  he  displayed  great  haughtiness.  At  Court  the  Emperor 
Wiis  the  only  person  who  liked  and  appreciated  the  Prince  ;  every- 
body else  feared  and  detested  him.  This  did  not  troul)lo  Prince 
Napoleon  in  the  least,  nor  did  he  attempt  to  lessen  the  hatred  of  which 
he  knew  himself  to  be  the  object.  He  was  indifferent  to  calumny, 
and  when  he  felt  that  he  was  unjustly  attacked  he  merely  shrugged 
his  broad  shoulders,  without  attempting  to  justify  himself." 

The  Prince  took  part  in  the  Crimean  War,  and  his  detractors 
accused  him  of  cowardice.  He  had  been  nicknamed  "Plon-Plon," 
because  of  his  ponderousness  and  lack  of  gracefulness,  but  after  his 
return,  invalided,  from  the  Crimea,  that  sobriquet  was  changed  to 
tho  even  more  ridiculous  and  unjust  one  of  "Craint-Plomb."  About 
this  time  the  Court  was  much  amused  by  a  rather  brutal  inot 
attributed,  rightly  or  wrongly,  to  De  Morny :  "  Should  Prince 
Napoleon's  stomach  ever  be  opened  and  a  bullet  be  found  in  it,  you 
may  be  sure  that  it  will  prove  to  be  one  which  he  has  swallowed  !" 
This  was  sheer  ill-nature,  for,  according  to  M.  Mitchell,  the  Prince 
during  the  campaign  in  the  Crimea  behaved  as  a  Prince  and  a 
soldier,  showing  on  the  battle-field  a  sanj-froid  which  drew  from  our 
own  historian,  Kinglake,  the  warmest  recognition.  "  I  repeat," 
says  M.  Mitchell,  "  that  Prince  Napoleon  was  a  very  brave  man ;  it 
was  a  matter  of  indifference  to  him  whether  the  world  knew  it  or 
not.  At  the  battle  of  the  Alma  he  did  not  try  to  inflame  his 
troops  by  heroic  words  and  gestures  and  theatrical  attitudes  ;  he 
contented  himself  with  simply  doing  his  duty,  never  thinking  of 
that  military  glory  which  so  many  others  eagerly  sought." 

Once  a  week  Prince  Jerome  Napoleon  gave  a  dinner  at  the  Palais 
Koyal ;  Flaubert,  Renan,  Sainte-Beuve,  and  Emile  de  Girardin  (whom 
the  Empress  Eugenie,  I  recall,  once  described  as  "the  gravedigger 
of  dynasties  ")  being  amongst  his  most  frequent  guests.  Princesse 
Clotilde  disliked  the  author  of  "  Salammbo  "  and  his  "  exorbitant 
paradoxes."  Flaubert  bitterly  criticized  the  projects  of  reform 
initiated  by  Napoleon  III.  "The  Emperor,"  he  said,  "is  going 
to  bring  the  bourgeois  back  to  power  ;  and  the  hmirgeois  is  the 
cholera  rawhus  !"     Prince  Jerome  Napoleon  assured  Flaubert  that 


THE  FAMILY  OF  BONAPARTE         399 

there  was  no  fear  of  that.  The  latter,  however,  shrugged  his 
shoulders,  and  said  :  "  I  tell  you  that  we  are  about  to  revert  to 
1830,  and  I  will  bet  you  that  within  six  months  Thiers  will  be 
Minister,  and  will  send  you  to  England  to  bring  back  the  remains 
of  Louis  Philippe."  "  But  what  regime  would  you  like  to  live 
under f  asked  Girardin.  "An  intellectual  Empire,"  was  the  reply. 
"An  intellectual  Empire!"  exclaimed  the  author  of  "La  Vie  de 
Jesus";  "have  we  not  got  it  here?  To  satisfy  Flaubert,"  con- 
tinued Renan,  "  it  would  be  sufficient  to  proclaim  Prince  Napoleon 
Emperor,  and  divide  the  Ministerial  posts  amongst  ourselves  !" 

Prince  Jerome  Napoleon  frequently  visited  this  country,  and 
professed  a  great  liking  for,  and  admiration  of,  England  and  the 
English.  Although,  when  he  was  amongst  us,  he  spent  much  of 
his  time  in  London,  many  seaside  resorts  strongly  appealed  to 
him,  notably  Scarborough,  whether  in  or  out  of  season. 

At  Villa  Prangins,  on  the  Lake  of  Geneva,  Prince  Jerome 
Napoleon  was  often  visited  by  Cardinal  Mermillod,  Bishop  of 
Geneva  and  Lausanne.  One  day,  in  a  well-known  Royalist  salon 
in  Paris,  a  lady  who  was  devoted  to  "le  Roy"  (typified  at  present 
by  the  Orleanist  Prince  at  Woodnorton,  by  Evesham,  the  battle- 
ground of  Cavaliers  and  Roundheads)  reproached  the  prelate  for 
visiting  so  notorious  a  freethinker  as  the  cousin  of  Napoleon  IIL  ; 
nor  did  she  forget  to  make  scathing  reference  to  Prince  Jerome's 
celebrated  "Good  Friday  sausage."  "  Oh,  madam,"  replied  Cardinal 
M  ermillod,  with  a  broad  smile,  "  God  has  pardoned  the  Prince  for 
that  mistake ;  and,  besides,  I  can  assure  you  that  His  Imperial 
Highness  detested  garlic "  (of  which  the  delectable  sausage  was 
partly  composed).  "  I  know  also  for  a  fact  that  the  Prince  suffered 
so  much  from  indigestion  after  that  much -talked -of  dinner  that, 
if  he  feasted  on  that  particular  Good  Friday,  he  fasted  both  on 
Holy  Saturday  and  Easter  Sunday  !  As  regards  his  dinner  on  the 
Vendredi  Saint,  I  fancy  he  had  made  a  mistake  in  the  day — nothing 
more  !" 

A  propos  of  Prince  Jerome,  the  following  is  comparatively  inMit. 
Napoleon  HL  was  hearing  the  little  Prince  Imperial  read,  when  the 
child  asked,  "  Papa,  what  is  the  difference  between  an  '  accident ' 
and  a  '  misfortune  "?"  The  Emperor  reflected  for  a  moment ;  then, 
with  as  much  gravity  as  he  could  command,  replied  :  "  Well,  Louis, 
if  our  cousin  Napoleon  were  to  fall  into  the  Seine,  it  would  be  an 
'  accident.'     If  someone  pulled  him  out,  it  would  be  a  '  misfortune  ' !" 

William  Bonaparte- Wyse,  who  was  born  at  Waterford,  Ireland, 
in  1826,  and  died  at  Cannes  in  1892,  was  the  son  of  Sir  Thomas 
Wyse — who  had  been  British  Minister  at  Athens — and  Princesse 
Laetitia  Bonaparte,  daughter  of  Prince  Lucien,  brother  of  Napoleon  I., 
and  as  such  he  was  in  the  receipt  of  an  allowance  from  the  Civil 
List  of  Napoleon  HI.,  as  well  as  being  a  grantee  from  the  Privy 
Purse.  William  Bonaparte- Wyse,  after  lacing  educated  in  England, 
migrated  to  Provence  in  186f),  settling  at  Avignon.  He  became 
a  friend  of  the  celebrated  Mistral  and  other  poets  of  the  region, 


400  F.MP1{KSS  KIKJRNIE 

stiulievl  tho  works  of  tho  'I'roiilmdors  niul  Fdibn's,  and  piiltlisliod 
:i  vohuiio  of  Provon^'Hl  pooiiis  called  "Li  I'arpiiiomi  Ulu "  ("  Lcs 
I'lipilloMs  Hlous ").  Ill  1S82  a  volunio  of  liis  colloctod  pooms, 
oiititlod  "  lii  IMiido  do  li  rrinccsso  "  ("  li'Eiiiprointu  doa  Tus  do  la 
IVincosso  "),  was  publishod  al  riyniouth,  whore  also  had  appeared 
ill  1870  four  sonnets  in  memory  of  the  I'rinco  Imperial,  "By  a 
(Ti-atui-Nephew  of  Napoleon  the  Great "  (W.  C,  Bonnparte-Wyse). 

Two  ladies  who  were  horn  VVyse  figured  on  tlie  Civil  List  of 
the  late  Lmperor,  and  must  have  l)oen  more  or  loss  known  to  the 
Knipross  Eugt''nie.  One  of  these  was  that  Mine,  licittazzi — a 
volnminous  writer — whose  bitter  pen  ijjot  her  into  some  trouble, 
and  who  further  distinguished  herself  by  marrying  three  husl)ands 
of  various  countries  ;  the  other,  a  Mme.  Tiirr. 

Also  on  the  Ci\nl  List  was  Mr.  Lucien  Napoleon  liona[)arte-Wyse, 
another  son  of  Sir  Thomas.  Both  William  and  Lucien  were  great- 
nephews  of  Napoleon  L  through  their  mother.  Lucien  died  at 
Cap  Brun,  near  Toulon,  on  June  15,  1909.  He  attained  consider- 
able celebrity,  for  in  the  early  seventies,  in  conjunction  with 
Lieutenant  Keclus,  of  the  French  Navy,  he  initiated  the  famous 
Panama  Canal  scheme,*  which  was  first  discussed  in  Paris  in  1875 
by  an  international  congress  of  geographers.  The  late  Ferdinand 
de  Lesseps  (cousin  once  removed  of  the  Empress  Eugenie),  who 
took  a  leading  part  in  the  discussions  of  the  geographers,  raised 
enough  money  to  commence  operations,  and  later  induced  Lucien 
Bonaparte-Wyse  to  transfer  to  him  the  original  concession  which 
the  former  had  been  granted  b\'  the  Government  of  Colombo. 
De  Lesseps  formed  a  company  with  a  huge  capital,  but  Bonaparte- 
Wyse  soon  withdrew  from  the  affair,  which  ruined  most  of  those 
who  invested  in  the  shares,  and  tarnished  the  reputation  of  many 
eminent  men.  De  Lesseps  was  prosecuted  and  humbled  to  the  dust. 
No  blame  whatsoever  attached  to  Lucien  Bonaparte-Wyse,  who 
passed  his  later  years  in  retirement  at  Cap  Brun.     He  left  one  son. 

None  of  the  descendants  of  the  Bonapartes  sits  on  any  throne, 
and  only  two  are  closely  connected  with  a  reigning  family— the 
late  Prince  Jerome  Napoleon's  daughter  Ltetitia,  the  widowed 
Duchesse  d'Aoste  ;  and  Prince  Roland  Bonaparte's  daughter  Marie, 
Princesse  George  of  Greece.  The  descendants  of  the  ill-used 
Empress  Josephine,  through  her  son  (by  her  first  marriage)  Eugene 
(made  by  his  stepfather.  Napoleon  I.,  Viceroy  of  Italy),  occupy  high 
rank  in  many  realms.  Eugene's  eldest  son  married  a  Queen  of 
Portugal,  but  left  no  issue  ;  one  of  Eugene's  daughters  married 
Pedro,  Emperor  of  Brazil  ;  and  another  daughter  was  the  wife  of 
the  Prince  of  Hohenzollern-Heckingen.  Both  ladies  died  childless. 
Eugene's  third  daughter  chose  a  husband  from  a  younger  branch  of 
the  Royal  Family  of  Wurtemberg,  and  her  daughters  were  well 
married  in  Austria  and  Italy.  But  the  gre  .test  matrimonial  match 
was  reserved  for  Eugene's  eldest  daughter,  who  became  the  mother 
of  the  late  King  Charles  XV.  of  Sweden,  and  also  of  the  late  King 
*  The  canal  is  still  (1910)  in  courae  of  construction. 


THE  FAMILY  OF  BONAPARTE  401 

Oscar  II.,  and  the  grandmother  of  the  present  (1910)  Queen  of 
Denmark. 

In  the  iiusso-Japanese  War,  the  only  Prince  of  any  reigning  house, 
past  or  present,  who  shed  his  blood  was  young  Napoleon  Murat, 
grandson  of  that  Princesse  Lucien  Murat  who  was  Miss  Caroline 
Fraser,  of  Philadelphia.  L'oth  sons  of  King  Joachim  Murat  of  Naples 
and  his  consort  married  Americans,  Lucien's  elder  brother,  Achille, 
wedding  George  Washington's  grandniece.  Miss  Caroline  Dudley, 
who  died  in  1867.  Like  her  sister-in-law  (Miss  Fraser),  Miss  Dudley 
was  a  Protestant. 

The  above-mentioned  Napoleon  Murat  tendered  his  sword  to  the 
Tsar  on  the  outbreak  of  the  war  with  Japan,  and  was  made  a 
Captain  in  a  regiment  of  Daghestan  cavalry.  In  1869  his  father 
(second  son  of  the  late  Prince  Achille  Murat)  fought  a  duel  with  his 
then  commanding  officer,  the  late  General  the  Marquis  de  Gallifiet, 
who,  as  a  result  of  the  encounter,  was  arrested  and  temporarily 
disgraced.  Napoleon  Murat's  mother  is  a  wealthy  Russian  ;  his 
father  committed  suicide  on  his  wife's  estate  in  Mingrelia  many 
years  ago. 

Young  Napoleon  Murat,  who  is  a  large  landowner  in  France  and 
Russia,  and  great-grandson  of  Napoleon's  Marshal  and  of  Caroline 
Bonaparte,  has  the  fighting  and  duelling  instinct  strongly  developed, 
and  is  equally  good  with  the  sword  and  the  pistol.  He  gave  proof  of 
this  in  May,  1908,  when  he  was  the  hero  (if  there  be  any  heroism 
in  these  barbaric  conflicts)  of  duels  with  two  brothers,  Ivan  and 
Paul  Plehn,  nobles  of  the  PakofF  Government,  officers  of  the  Tsar, 
and  distantly  related  by  marriage  to  their  antagonist.  Even  the 
Petersburgers,  so  inured  to  such  scenes,  were  thrilled  by  these 
sensational  combats,  while  the  mere  fact  that  a  Murat  was  the 
principal  figure  in  the  double  event  of  May  26  was  enough  to  kindle 
excitement  in  Paris,  and  to  a  modified  extent  in  London.  The 
brothers  challenged  Prince  Napoleon  Murat  after  a  family  dispute 
concerning  some  business  transactions.  The  scene  was  the  polo- 
ground  ;  the  conditions  three  pistol-shots  at  twenty  paces.  In  the 
first  encounter  Lieutenant  Ivan  Plehn  was  shot,  not  very  badly,  in 
the  thigh ;  Murat  came  off'  scatheless,  and  the  couple  shook  hands. 
After  a  lapse  of  five  minutes  "  time "  was  called,  and  Lieutenant 
Paul  Plehn,  having  finished  his  cigarette,  faced  the  music.  Napoleon 
Murat  was  evidently  in  form  :  his  first  shot  struck  Paul's  epaulette, 
his  second  "got  home,"  the  bullet  lodging  in  the  liver.  Paul  was  for 
a  second  bout,  but  this  the  doctors  forbade,  laid  him  on  a  stretcher, 
which  had  been  thoughtfully  provided,  and  took  him  to  the  hospital. 
He  soon  recovered. 

E.  L. 


26 


INDF.X 


Abbatucci.  M.,  liM 

Abdul  Aziz,  Sultan,  312 

Ah.lul  lliuni.l.  Sultan,  :{13 

Alurilci n,  VIav\  and  Countess  of,  351 

Ain^'-Vf,  M.  Jean,  323 

Apnado,  Vioonitesse,  1S9,  191,  192 

Vic'onite,  191 
Ajalhert,  M.  Jeau,  334 
Albeit,  Triuce,  4,  106 
Alexander  II.,  the  Eniiievor,  29,  152, 

153 
Alexaudi-a,  H.M.  gueeu,  215 
Alexandre,  M.,  10,  14,  45 
Altuuso  Xil.,  King,  17 
Alquie,  Dr.,  86 
Auielie,  (^{ueeu,  315 
Amigues,  M.  Jules,  184,  185 
Antoinette,  Marie,  40 
Arcos.  Mme.  Christine  V.,  10,  279,  367 

M.  Carlos  de,  350 
Arese,  Comte,  139 
Augusta,  Queen,  137,  138 
Austria,  Emperor  of,  29, 151,  152. 153, 

154,   156.  316,    317,   320,   340,  341, 

342,  343 
Austria,  Empress  of,  316,  320,  321,  341 

Bachon,  M.,  202.  206,  207 
Baciocchi,  Elise,  7 

Comtesse,  302,  303 
Comte,  303 
Baraguay  d'Hilliers,  Marshal,  47 
Baring  Brothers.  307,  308,  309 
Barres,  M.  Maurice,  153 
Bassano.  the  late  first  Due  de,  72 
the  late  Due  de,  66 
the  Due  de,  10,  98,  100,  101,  104, 

279 
Marquis  (later  Due)  de,  277 
Battenberg,    Princess    Eua   (Queen   of 
Spain),  301,  303,  306 
H.R.H.   Princess  Henry  of,   261, 

303,  306 
the  Princes  of,  265 
Bavoux,  M.  Evariste.  204,  209 
Baynes,  Captain,  99 
Bazaine,  Marshal.  6,  22,  24,  25,  26,  27, 
30.  32,  33,  34,  36,  40,  145 
Mme.,  6 
Beatrice,    Princess    (H.R.H.    Princess 
Henry  of  Battenberg),  40,  41,   42, 
188,  Idl 


I   Beaumont,  Comtesse  de,  51 
!    Beauvau,  Prince  do,  325 
j    li.Vioy^rf,  Conito  de  la.  180 
I    Belba'uf,  the  Miiniuia  de,  70 

Marquise  do  (Mile.,  or  Mine.,  do 
Morny),  70 

Bellord,  Father.  279 

Bernhardt,  Mme.  Sarah,  312 

Bernstorti",  Count,  21,  22,  24,  29,  34, 
35 

Bertrand,  General,  72,  73 

Besnard,  Albert,  316 

Beule,  M.,  172 

Beust,  Comte  de,  155 

Bismarck,  Prince,  22,  24,  25.  26.  27, 

28,  30,  31,  32,  33,  110,  121 
Bizot,  M.,  190 

Blanc.  M.  Fran(;ois,  303 
Blessington,  Lady.  110 
Blowitz,  M.  de,  90 

Bonaparte,    Prince    Louis   Lucien,    4, 
279,  304 

Prince  Charles,  43,  97,  103 

Jer6me  Napoleon,  Prince,  303 

Prince  ^'ictor,  306 

the  family  of.  uj)  to  the  end  of  the 
year  1910,  386-401 
Bonheur.  Rosa.  299 
Bonville,  M.  de,  20 

Borthwick.    Mr.   (Lord   Glenesk),    14, 
63 

Mrs.  (Lady  Glenesk),  14 
Bourbaki,  General,  10,  24,  26,  27,  28, 

29,  30,  31 
Bourgoing,  M.  de,  56,  171 

Boyer,    General,   28,   30,    31,    32,  33, 

36 
Brackenbury,  General  Sir  H.,  40,  41 
Bre,  M.  de,  187,  188 
Bridport,  Lord,  90 
Briggs,  Mr.,  M.P.,  212 
Brissac,  Comte  de,  101 
Broglie,  Due  de,  175 
Bruuet,  Captain.  116 
Burdett-Coutts,  the  late  Baroness,  44 
Bure,  M..  118 
Burgoyne,  Sir  J.  M..  2 

Cabanel,  M. .  315 
Cabassera,  Due  de.  161 
Cabrol,  Rme.  Pfere  Abbe,  Dom  F..  272, 
273,  274.  281,  346 


402 


INDEX 


403 


Calmotte,  M.  Gaston,  205,   207,  283, 

295,  365 
Cambacerfes,  Due  de,  10,  66,  99,  278 
Cambridge,    Duke  of,  46,  75,  90,   99, 

106,  175,  178,  179,  180,  211,  214 
Caradeu,  William,  1 
Campana,  Marquise,  9 
Canrobert,  Mme.  la  Marechale,  39,  51, 
93 

Mile,  and  M.  Marcel.  39 

Marshal,  93,  100,  139 
Canterbury,  Archbishop  of,  44 
Campbell,  Hon.  Mrs.  Ronald,  340 
Carette,  Mme.,  79,  103 
Carnot,  M.,  316 
Carpeaux,  M..  101,  314 
Carr-Glynn,  Flag-Captain,  46 
Carter,  Monsiguor,  279 
Casablanca,  Comtesse  de,  163 

family,  10 
Cassagnac,  M,  Paul  de,  37,  58,  93 
Cassel,  Dean  of,  6 
Castelbajac,  Mile,  de,  344 
Castiglione,  Comtesse  de,  312 
Castries,  Dirchesse  de,  51 
Cavendish,  Lord  Frederick,  160,  213 
Chamberlain,  Mr.  Joseph,  M.P.,  212 
Chambord,  Comte  de,  54,  60,  213,  214 
Chanibrier,  M.  James  de,  199,  200 
Changarnier,  General,  48,  51,  54,  55. 

56 
Chapelle.  Comte  de  la,  60,  61,  62.  65, 

74,  75,  76,  85,  87,  88,  154 
Chaudordy,  M.  de,  31 
Chazal,  General  Baron,  133,  143,  144, 
147 

Baron  A.,  143,  144 
Chevreau,  M.  Henri,  10 
Choudieu,  the  Grenadier,  73 
Christian,  Prince  and  Princess,  40,  41 
Christie,  Messrs.,  310 
Claretie,  M.  Jules,  361,  362 
Clary,   Comte,   3,    10,    14,  45,  95,   96, 
101,  104,  140,  261,  345 

Comtesse,  10,  104 
Claude,  M.,  108,  109 
Clemenceau,  M.,  311,  315,  334 
Clementine,  H.R.H.  Princesse  de,  361 
Clotilde,  Princesse,  94,  123 
Clover,  Mr.,  75 
Cody,  Mr.,  258,  259 
Conde,  Prince  de,  2ii0 
Connaught,  H.  R.  H.  Duchess  of,  26 

H.R.H.  the  Duke  of,  96 
Conneau,  Dr.,  5,  11.  45,  75,  76,  80,  82, 
83,84,85,95,  96,  101,  133,  134, 
190 

Mme  ,  5,  11 
Conti,  M.,  48 
Coppee,  M.  Fran^-ois,  153 
Corelli,  Miss  Marie,  263,  264 


Cornu,  Mme.,  71,  113,   115,  116,  117, 

119 
Corvisart,  Baron  Dr.,  5,  11,  45,  74,  75, 

79,  80,  81,  82,  95,  101 
Cowley,  Lord,  179 
Crane,   Captain  C.  P.  and  Mrs.,   352, 

354 
Crown    Prince    of    Prussia,    the    late 

(Emperor  Frederick),  146 

D'Aguado,  Vicomtesse  de,  103 

D'Aguilar,  Major-General,  176 

D'Albe,  Duchesse,  307 

D'Albe,  Due,  297,  346,  349 

D'Albufera,  Due  de,  51 

D'Arcq,  M.  Drouet,  131 

Darimon,  M.  Alfred,  83,  84,  154 

Darnley,  Earl  of,  11 

D'Attainville,  Mme.,  344 

Daudet,  M.  Lucien  Alphonse.  251-257 

D'Audriffet-Pasquier,  Due,  49 

D'Aumale,  Duchesse,  280 

David,  Baron  Jerome,  10,  20 

Davilliers,   Comte,   5,   10,  45,  90,   96 

127,  134 
Debout  d'Estrees,  Dr.,  86,  87,  88 
De  Flahault  de  la  Billarderie,  Comte 

de,  68 
Delafosse,  M.,  10 
Delane,  Mr.  J.  T.,  65,  201 
Delessert,  M.  Eugene,  101 
Demidoff,  Prince  Anatole,  315 
Denmark,  King  and  Queen  of,  196 
Denormandie,  Maitre,  328,  329 
D'Espeuilles,  General,  103 
D'Hendecourt,  Captain,  127 
D'Herisson,  Comte,  186,  205,  206 
Dickson,  Major,  M.P.,  5 
Digby,  Lady  Emily,  69 
Dilke,  Sir  Charles,  M.P.,  212 
Dolbeau,  Professor,  88 
D'Orleans,  Due,  313 

Duchesse  de,  280 
D'Orx,  Comte,  118 
Douay,  General,  129,  146,  147 
Druscovich,  Mr.,  181 
Dubufe,  M.,  313,  314 
Ducrot,  General,  128,  129 
Dujardin-Beaumetz,  M.,  334 
Duperre,  Commandant,  3 
Du  Plat,  Colonel,  39,  40 
Duveruois,  M.  Clement,  10,  35,  58 
Dyne,  Dr.,  44 

Edinburgh,  Duke  of,  91 
Edlmann,  Mr.,  245 
Edward  VIL,  H.M.  King,  341,  343 
Emmanuel,  King  Victor,  123,  152 
"  Englislmian  in  Paris,"  an,  110 
Espinasse,  M.,  190 

Eugenie,    H.LM.    the    Empress:     at 
26—2 


-40.{ 


EMlTxESS  EUGENIE 


Chislelmi-st,  1  :  lands  at  Hydo,  2; 
Hiistin^s,  3  ;  a  ivniinisci'iu-o,  8  ; 
iiiittjt  Kmi>«Tvutit  DoviT,  1,  f)  ;  wulks 
with  KnijHTor  lit  Cliislclmi-st,  I'J  ;  at 
Biukin^liain  riiliift".  K?  ;  tiuiot  enUir- 
t.iiiiini;.  ir>  ;  lior  licnnty  iind  ohoer- 
fulnoss,  17  ;  litrcustiimo,  IS  ;  aj^rcea 
to  ront  Caiiiilfii  I'laco,  I'.l  ;  a  jxiudous 
sug^'cstiou,  19;  lu>usi>ket>j>in^'  ex 
poiisos,  19  ;  tlto  RcRiiier  opisoilo  and 
tlio  terms  of  peai-e,  21,  22.  23,  24,  25, 
2(5.  27.  2S,  20,  30,  31,  32,  34  :  lior 
»dvisei-s.  S.''"  ;  a]>jieal  to  Kin^  William, 
36  ;  a  f,'reat  shock,  37  ;  a  stirrinj^ 
scene,  37  :  a  visit  from  (leneral  Sir 
H.  Brackenlmry,  40 ;  visits  Prince 
and  Princess  Christian  and  meets 
Queen  Victoria,  41  ;  Queen  ^'ictoria's 
visits,  40  ;  the  Bonapartist  fete-day 
— Empress  attends  High  Mass  at  St. 
Mai-v's,  42  ;  inspects  tlie  Great 
Eastern,  43  ;  visits  Baroness  Bur- 
dett-Coutts  at  Highgate,  44  ;  journey 
to  Spain,  44  ;  at  Brighton,  Ryde,  and 
Portsmouth,  46  ;  lier  conlidence  in 
Rouher,50  ;  admiration  for  M.Magne, 
J)3  ;  the  Empress's  "Party,"  55; 
a  great  lilow,  69  ;  the  dose  of  cliloral, 
76  ;  a  carriage  accident — the  con- 
clusions of  the  doctors :  did  the  Em- 
press know  them  1  84  ;  denies  all 
knowledge  of  the  Emperor's  malady, 
85  ;  the  chloral  story,  87  ;  a  grim 
relic,  88  ;  letter  of  condolence  from 
Queen  Victoria,  90  ;  message  of  the 
Prince  of  Wales  (King  Edward  VII.) 
and  visit  of  the  Duke  of  Cambridge, 
90  ;  a  newspaper  blunder,  91  ;  the 
Prince  Imperial  and  his  mother,  95  ; 
the  Empress  and  her  consort's  death, 
96,  97  ;  a  reception  in  the  Blue 
Salon,  99,  100,  101,  102, 103  ;  winters 
at  Florence,  104  ;  receives  £4,000 
from  Emperor  at  Wilhelmshohe,  109  ; 
keejis  Emjieror  awake  at  opera,  113  ; 
figin-es  in  German  caricatures,  119, 
120  ;  a  stoiy  told  by  one  of  "The 
Five,"  123.  124  ;  a  letter  from  Wil- 
helmshohe, 139  ;  financial  resources, 

139  ;  visits  the  Emperor  in  captivity, 

140  ;  the  stolen  Treaty,  152,  153, 154, 
155,  156,  157  ;  second  Bonapartist 
fete  at  Chislehurst — at  High  Mass, 

161  ;  expressions  of  loyalty  and  re- 
ception of  friends  at  Camden  Place, 

162  ;  receives  from  Queen  Victoria 
the    Emperor's    "Garter"    banner, 

163  ;  the  Queen  presents  sarcophagus, 
163  ;  Father  Goddard's  remarkable 
address  to  the  Empress,  164,  165, 
166;  Eer  Majesty  saluted  by  many 


tlionsands  of  French  visitoi's.  166  ; 
Prince.lcronu'  Napoir'onand  Emitress, 
169  ;  at  Wonlwicli  with  Prince  Im- 
perial, 175;  Queen  Victt)ria  writes 
and  tchgiaphs  to  EmjircsH,  17S  ; 
Empress  lakes  last  farewell  of  Prince 
Imperial,  ISO,  181  ;  resemblance  of 
Prince  to  Empress,  1S3  ;  Empress 
unable  to  dissemble,  188  ;  letter  from 
Prince  Imperial,  189;  a  bereaved 
mother  —  solaced  by  friends,  189  ; 
receives  Woolwich  cadets,  190  ;  con- 
dolences of  friends,  191,  192;  a  dis- 
cussion at  San  Remo,  195  ;  a  dinner 
at  Princesse  Mathildc's,  198,  199  ; 
at  the  Tuileries,  200,  201  ;  at  Com- 
l.i^gne,  201,  202  ;  at  Suez,  203,  204  ; 
allegations  denied,  205,  206,  207  ; 
Empress  and  Prince  Imperial's  will, 
208  ;  world  symjiathy  with  a  bereaved 
motiier,  208 ;  Emiieror's  letter  to 
Empress,  211  ;  the  late  Marchioness 
of  Ely  and  tlie  Empress,  223  ;  fac- 
simile letter  and  copies,  237,  238  ; 
Monsignor  Goddard's  first  inter- 
view with  the  Empress,  239,  240, 
241,  242,  243  ;  at  Farnborough  Hill, 
244,  245.  246,  247,  248,  249,  250, 
251,  252,  253,  254,  255,  256,  257, 
258,  259 ;  imperial  fete  at  Farn- 
borough Hill  —  visit  of  King  and 
Queen  of  Spain,  260.  261,  262,  263, 
264,  265,  266,  267  ;  transference  by 
Emjiress  of  the  Church  and  Abbey  of 
St.  Michael,  Farnborough  Hill,  to 
Benedictines,  268,  269,  270,  271, 
272,  273,  274,  275,  276,  277,  278, 
279,  280,  281.  282  ;  the  "  case  "  for 
the  Empress,  283,  284,  285,  286,  287. 
288,  289,  290,  291,  292,  293,  294. 
295  ;  the  Empress  described  by 
Napoleon  III.,  296,  297,  298.  299, 
300  ;  the  Empress's  "  millions,"  301, 
302,  303,  304,  305,  306,  307,  309  ; 
sale  of  some  of  her  jewels.  310  ; 
Empress  in  France,  311,  312,  313, 
314,  315,  316,  317,  318,  319,  320, 
321  ;  her  successful  lawsuit  against 
the  State,  322,  323,  324,  325,  326, 
327,  328,  329,  330,  331.  332,  333, 
334,  335  ;  her  crown  of  sorrow,  336, 
337,  338,  339  ;  Empress  at  Ischl, 
Bergen,  Ceylon,  in  Ireland,  at  Cowes, 
Paris,  and  Cap  Martin,  340,  341, 
342,  343,  344,  345,  346,  347,  348, 
349,  350,  351,  352,  353,  354,  355, 
356,  357,  358,  359.  360  ;  forgery  of 
her  "memoirs,"  361,  362,  363,  364, 
365,  366,  367  ;  Empress's  correspon- 
dence with  the  late  Monsignor  God- 
dard,  368.  369,  370,  371.  372,  373, 


INDEX 


405 


374,  375,  376,  377,  378,  379,  380, 
381,  382,  383,  384  ;  Empress  and 
Princess  George  of  Greece,  389  ; 
marriage  of  Princess  Lsetitia,  392  ; 
Prince  Napoleon  and  Farnborongh 
Hill,  396  ;  late  Prince  Jerome  Napo- 
leon  and    "the    Empress's   Party," 

397  ;  Empress  and  EmiledeGirardin, 

398  ;  the  Wyse  family,  400  ;  Ferdi- 
nand de  Lesseps,  400 

Eugenie,  H.I. M.  the  Empress:  letters 
written  by,  at  Hastings  and  Chisle- 
hurst,  225,  226.  227,  228.  229,  230, 
231,  232,  233.  234,  235,  236,  237  ; 
correspondence  with  Monsignor  God- 
dard,  368 

Evans,  Mr.  T.  W.,  2,  9 

Exeter,  Marquis  of,  46 

Failly,  General.  146 

Fallieres,  President,  311 

Fauvel,  Dr.,  80,  81,  82 

Favre,  M.  Jules,  23,  24,  25,  82 

Ferdinand,  King,  320 

Fernan  Nunez,  Duquesa,  349 

Ferotin,  Dom,  O.S.B.,  274 

Feuillet,  Mme.  Octave,  19 

Filon,  M.   Augustin,   11,    22,    25,   96, 

103,  104.  200,  201,  212,  213 
Fisher,  Mr.  H.  A.  L.,  92 
Fitzmaurice,  Lord,  69 
Fleury,  General,  4,  51,  54,  55,  93,  100, 
126 
Corate,  126 
Flowers,  Miss,  91 
Forbes,  Mr.  Archibald,  308 
Forster,  Mr.  John,  110 
France,  Anatole,  276 
Franklin,  Sir  John,  47 
Frederick  Charles,  Prince,  26,  28,  29 
Frossard,  General,  100,  201 
Fuller,  Very  Rev.  M.,  353 

Gabriac,  M.  Alexandre,  318 

Gainsborough,  Lord,  159 

Gambetta,  M.,  29,  30,  50,  51,  52 

Gardiner,  Colonel,  90 

Gavini,  M.,  48 

Genouilly,  Admiral  Rigault  de,  100 

Germain  See,  Professor,  79,  82,  83,  84, 

85 
Girardin,  M.  Emile  de,  315 
Girgenti,  Princess,  93 
Gladstone,  Mr.  W.  E.,  212,  213,  259 
Glenesk,  Lord,  158 
Goddard,   Monsignor,  10,  16,  63,  161, 

164,   181,    182,    184,   189,    190,   239. 

279,  302,  368-385 
Gourgaud,  liaron,  10 
Goyon,  General,  100 
Gramont,  Due  de,  163 


Granville,  Earl,  29,  31 
Greville,  Mr.  Charles,  106,  107 
Grey,  Lady  de,  312 
Gricourt,  Marquis  de,  138 
Guillon,  Dr.,  86 

Dr.  Alfred,  86 
Guise,  Due  de,  180 
Gull,  Sir  William,  75,  76,  87,  88 

Halevy,  M.  Ludovic,  113 

Haussmann,  Baron,  100 

Hawker,  Rev.  Mr.,  55 

Hekren,  Baron,  4 

Hendie,  M.,  82 

Hepp,  Commandant,  6,  127,  134,  136 

Hertford,  Marquis  of,  311 

Hesse,  Prince  of,  135 

Holfeld,  Hippolyte,  313 

Holland,  Quartermaster,  11 

Hornby,  Admiral,  47 

Hortense,  Queen,  9,  68 

Howtli,  Earl  of,  352 

Hugo,  Victor,  106 

Hunt,  Mr.  Thornton,  61 

Hyacinthe,  P^re,  242 

Imperial,  the  Prince :  at  Chislehurst, 
1  ;  discusses  a  double  murder  com- 
mitted at  "Camden,  "2  ;  atDoverand 
Hastings,  3  ;  thanks  the  Mayor  of 
Hastings,  3  ;  receives  the  Emperor 
at  Dover,  4  ;  a  student  at  King's 
College  —  enters  Royal  Military 
Academy  at  Woolwich — joins  Yeo- 
manry Cavalry,  11  ;  welcomes  arrival 
of  his  pony,  11  ;  a  recollection  of  the 
Prince  before  the  war,  15  ;  the 
Prince  and  his  fellow-students,  17  ; 
the  Regnier  incident  —  the  Prince 
sends  his  father  photographs,  23  ; 
Bazaine  and  the  Prince's  photo- 
graphs, 27  ;  Paul  de  Cassagnac's 
story  of  the  Prince  and  his  mother, 
37  ;  accompanies  Emperor  to  Wool- 
wich Arsenal,  41  ;  rumoured  engage- 
ment of  tlie  Prince  to  Princess  Bea- 
trice— Queen  Victoria  greets  him  at 
a  royal  review,  42  ;  accompanies  his 
parents  to  see  the  Great  Eastern — 
visits  the  Baroness  Burdett-Coutts 
aud  Cliolmondeley  School,  Highgate, 
41  ;  visits  Torquay  with  Emperor, 
44  ;  "  TIio  Prince  is  a  dear  !"  45  ;  in 
Scotland  with  his  mother — ^joins  the 
Enq)eror  at  Brighton,  and  hears  tlie 
ex[)lorer  Stanley  lecture  to  British 
Association,  4(j  ;  at  Rydo— visits  the 
fleet  at  Portsmouth,  16  ;  Changarnier 
])r()poses  to  i)la(!e  llu!  Prince  on  the 
throne,  55  ;  for  and  against  the 
Prince    as   Emperor,    56  ;     "  Vive 


406 


EMPKE8S  EUGENIE 


N»IH»loon  IV  !"  01  ;  Mr.  II.  A.  \,. 
Fisolipr's  opinion  that,  but  for  the 
W!ir,  till'  rriiico  wouKl  liave  come  to 
till"  throiiy,  yj  :  the  Princo  says  tho 
lionl's  I'rayi'r  l>y  tho  sidooJ'his  dciid 
I'athor,  9;'>  ;  the  Prince  at  tlie  recep- 
tion in  the  lUuo  Salon — "tlie  now 
KmiH'ror  "  recrives  the  homage  of  tho 
|virty,  101  ;  tlio  Prince  in  private 
theatricals  at  Compi^gne,  114  ;  (ler- 
man  caricaturists  and  tho  Prince, 
120  ;  the  Prince's  study  of  Latin, 
124  ;  Prince  Jerome's  refusal  to  con- 
duct the  Prince's  atl'aii's,  157  ;  memo- 
ries of  the  Prince  Imperial,  158-215  ; 
late  Marchioneas  of  Ely's  letter  to 
the  Prince,  223,  224  ;  the  Prince 
introduces  himself  to  Father  God- 
ilard,  242,  243  ;  relics  of  the  Prince 
at  Farnborough  Hill.  249.  250  ;  the 
Prince's  tomb  in  the  Imperial  Mau- 
aolcum,  Farnborough  Hill — notable 
objects  in  tho  coffin,  272 ;  "  The 
Emi)ress  made  her  son  an  accom- 
plished man,"  284  ;  SI.  Gaston  Cal- 
mette  refutes  absurd  stories  of  the 
Prince  in  reference  to  his  mother, 
292,  293,  294  ;  the  Emperor  describes 
the  Empress's  tenderness  for  the 
Prince,  300;  Comtesse  Baciocchi's 
bequest  to  the  Prince — his  will,  303, 
304  ;  a  portrait  of  the  Prince,  332  ; 
the  Prince  meets  the  future  King 
Alfonso  XII.  at  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Borth- 
wick's,  347  ;  the  Prince's  gifts  to 
Monsignor  Goddard,  373  ;  the  Mon- 
signor's  monument  to  the  Prince  at 
St.  Mary's,  Chislehurst,  377,  378  ; 
facsimile  of  Prince's  letter  to  Mon- 
signor Goddard,  385 

Impeiial,  the  Prince  :  letters  written 
by,  at  Chislehurst,  216,  217,  218, 
219,  220,  221,  222 

Isabella,  Queen,  93 

Ismail  Pasha,  312 

Japan,  Em]>eror  of,  312 

Jeckei,  M.,  50 

Jerrold,  Mr.  Blanchard,  60,  61 

Jesuits,  Vicar-General  of  the,  301 

Josephine,  Empress,  9 

Jouy,  M.  Barbet  de,  326 

Keith,  Admiral  Viscount,  68 
Keith  and  Nairne,  Baroness,  68 
Kelly-Kenny,  General  Sir  Tliomas  W., 

350 
Kenmare,  Earl  and  Countess  of,  352, 

354,  355,  356 
Kerbrech,    General    Faverot  de,    128, 

129.  130 


Kerry,  Bishop  of,  353 
Kui-saint,  Gomtosse  de,  312 

Ijal«'>doyiVes,  MM.,  141 

Labenne,  Comto  do,  118 

Liisne,  Abbt'-,  93 

Lambert,  Baron  Tristan,  141,  180,  210 

Baron,  101,  103 
Lamney,  Commandant,  3 
Lansdowne,  fourth  Marquis  of,  69 

Marchioness  of,  69 

(present)  Marquis  of,  69 
Larniiuat,  Mile,  de,  10,  103,  104 
Lauzanne,  M.  Stefane,  356,  358 
Lavalette,  Manjuis  de,  10,  20,  53,  100 
Lebo'uf,  Marshal,  100 
Lebreton-liourbaki,  Mme.,  2,  5, 10,  21, 
22,  23,   24,    27,  96,   103,   104,   187. 
189 
Lebrun,  General,  147 
Leclercq,  Doni,  O.S.B.,  274 
Lee,  Mr.  H.,  46 
Lcmaitre,  M.  Jules,  153 
Le  Moyne,  M.,  68 
Lennheim,  M.,  11 
Leopold,  Prince,  40,  96 
Lespars,  General  Guyot  de,  148 
Livingstone,  Dr.,  46 
Locock,  Sir  Charles,  303 
Longman,  Mr.,  246 
Lotti,  M.',  359 
Loudou,  M.  Engine,  186 
Loughnan,  Mr.  John  Maher,  J. P.,  355 

Miss,  356 
Louis    Napoleon    Bonaparte,    H.I.H. 

General  Prince,  327 
Louis  XIV.,  King,  60 
Lowe,  General  Sir  Drury,  279 
Lytton,  Lord.  43 

Macdonald,  Mrs.,  39 
MacMahon,  Mme.  le  Marechalc,  51 
Marshal  de,  59,  60,  68,  127,   128, 
145,  146,  147.  148 
Magne,  M.,  53 
Malakoff,  Due  de,  66,  67,  93 
Malmesbury,  Lord,  49 
Malvezzi,  Comte,  345 
Manning,  Cardinal.  16.  159,  161,  241, 

276 
Manoel,  King,  154 
Margueritte,  General,  130 
Markby,  Parry,  and  Stewart,  Messrs. , 

309 
Marmesia,  Comte,  101 
Massa,  Marquis  Philippe  de,  114 
Masson,  M.  Frederic.  89 
Mathilde.  Princesse,  12,  94,  198.  303 
Maximilian,  Emperor,  50 
M'Carthy,  Mr.  Justin,  109,  110 
McClintock,  Admiral  Sir  Leopold,  47 


INDEX 


407 


Meissonier,  M.,  323 
Me.k,  M.,  142 
Mercier,  M. ,  114 
Metternich,  Prince,  31,  310 

Princesse  de,  114,  155 
Meyer,  M.  Arthur,  126,  206 
Miclion,  the  late  M.,  71 
Mildmay,  Captain,  106 
Mniszech,  M.,  270 
Moltke,  Field-Marshal,  92,  120,  149 
Monuier,  M.,  125 
Mona,  Comte  de,  138 
Montalerabert,  M.,  275 
Montebello,  General  de,  51 
Montijo,  Comte  de,  349 

Comte  and  Comtesse  de,  289,  296. 
297 
Montjoyeux,  M.,  173 
Montmorency  (Carmen),  Duchesse  de, 

192 
Monts,  General  Count,  6 
Morlot,  Cardinal,  7 
Morny,  Due  de,  50,  66,  68,  69,  71 

Duchesse  de,  69 

(present)  Duo  de,  69,  70,  71 
Moskowa  (late),  Princesse  de  la,  67,  68 

Princesse  de  la,  103,  141,  350,  351 
Mouchy,  Duchesse  de,    10,  189,    270, 
307 

Due  de,  10,  100 
Mountcharles,  Earl  of,  39 
Murat,  Prince,  4 

Prince  Achille,  4 

Prince  Joachim,  39,  45,  93,   133, 
134 

Princes,  10,  80,  100 

Princesse     Anna     (Duchesse      de 
Mouchy),  79,  80,  100 

Napoleon  III.  :  a  prisoner,  1  ;  parts 
from  his  son,  3  ;  arrival  at  Dover,  4  ; 
an  enthusiastic  reception,  5  ;  his  de- 
parture from  Wilhelmshohe,  6,  7  ; 
Camden  Place,  8,  9  ;  instructs  Prince 
Imperial,  11  ;  rides  and  walks,  12  ; 
elected  to  the  Corinthian  Club,  12  ; 
besieged  by  French  officials,  13 ; 
English  friends,  14 ;  his  favourite 
dish,  14  ;  declining  health,  16  ;  still 
regarded  as  an  adveutuier,  17  ;  his 
horses,  19  ;  his  treatment  at  Wil- 
helmshohe, 26 ;  advice  to  friends, 
35  ;  visited  by  Priuce  of  Wales 
(King  Edward  VII.)  at  Chislehurst, 
39  ;  a  visit  to  Queen  Victoria,  39  ; 
the  Emperor  receives  General  Sir  H. 
Brackenbury,  41  ;  visits  Prince  and 
Princess  Christian  and  meets  Queen 
Victoria,  41  ;  present  at  IJonapartist 
fete,  42  ;  visits  the  Great  Emtcrn, 
43  ;   visits  Baroness  Burdett-Coutts 


at  Highgate,  44  ;  meets  Archbishop 
of  Canterbury,  44;  sojourns  at  Tor- 
quay,   Bognor,    and    Brighton,   and 
visits   Ryde,    45  ;    defends   himself 
from   Council   of  In(|uiry's   charges 
and  resolution  of  National  Assembly, 
47  ;  an  implacable  critic,  49  ;  Gam- 
betta's    attack,   50 ;    Emperor    and 
"restoration"    plans,    50;     solicits 
co-operation  of  General  Changarnier, 
52 ;    effort   to   re-seat    Emperor  on 
throne,  54  ;    "  keep  in  with  Chan- 
garnier," 55  ;  "restoration fever, "57  ; 
Emperor   held    responsible    for   col- 
lapse of  restoration  plans,  59  ;  Em- 
peror intervaewed,  59  ;  "official"  life 
of    Napoleon    III.,   60,    61  ;    Napo- 
leon's brochure,  61  ;  "serious  offers" 
to    Emperor    to    return  to    France, 
63 ;    English   friends  in    tlie  secret, 
63  ;  "an  enormous  name,"  64  ;  pro- 
tecting the  Emperor,  65  ;  the  Dukes 
created  by  Napoleon  III.,  66,  67,  68, 
69,  70  ;  Emperor's  handwriting.  71  ; 
real  cause  of  Emperor's  death,  74-94  ; 
regrets  at  Emperor's  death,  96,  97 ; 
Prince  Charles  Bonaparte  and  Napo- 
leon III.,  97  ;   report  of  Emperor's 
death  disbelieved  in  Paris,  98  ;  the 
open  coffin,  98  ;  the  Emperor's  per- 
sonality,   105  - 125  ;    Napoleon    III. 
at  Sedan   and  Wilhelmshohe,   126- 
142  ;    the  Emperor's   own   story   ot 
Sedan,  143-150  ;  Napoleon  III.  and 
the  Austrian  Treaty,   151-157  ;  the 
Emperor  and  the  German  triumphs, 
158  :  Father  Goddard  and  the  dead 
Emperor,  164,   165 ;    Napoleon  III. 
compared  by  M.  Beule  to  the  Em- 
pei-ors  Caligula  and  Domitian,  172  ; 
similarity     between     Emperor    and 
his  son,   183;  the  title   "Napoleon 
the      'Third'"      unjustified,      194, 
195  ;    a  favourite   dish   of  the   Em- 
peror,   198,   199  ;    picture  of  Na])o- 
leon   III.,   his  wife,   and  son,    199, 
200  ;    Emperor   and     Prince,     203  ; 
Bismarck's  gibe,  208  ;  an  old  friend 
(jf    the    Emperor,   209  ;     Fnii)oror's 
affection  for  his  son,  210,  211  ;    Mr. 
Gladstone's  visit  to  Emperor,   212, 
213;    "the    Emperor    has    become 
more    dear    to    me   [the    Empress] 
since     his     misfortunes,"    234  ;    a 
French  Bishop  and    Masses  for  the 
Emperor,  235,  236 ;  relics  of  Napo- 
leon III.,  250  ;  the  remains  of  the 
Emperor  at  Farnborough  Hill,  268  ; 
tlie  Emperor's  sarcoiihagus  given  to 
the  Empress  by  Queen  Victoria,  271  ; 
commemorative    Mass    for  the   Em- 


408 


KMPKKSS  EIKJENIE 


peror,  281  ;  the  EiujM>ror  wislicd  to 
avoid  war  in  1870,  "284.  285  ;  the 
KinjuTor  onlortil  medioiil  consulta- 
tion to  Ix'  ki'pt  H  secret  from  Km 


ion  to  Ix'  Kent  a  secret  (rom  hm- 

>i«js,   '2Sii  ;    l!.m}RTor  ami    Eniiirrsa 

in  1870,  28(5.  289  ;  a  teiej,'rani  iVoni 

the    KniiHMor.    290 ;    the   Kniperor's 

description  of  the  Empress.  296  300  ; 

the  Emperors  "  Fortuuc,"  301-309  ; 

lux-'liefurt's  criticism  of  the  Emjieror. 

317  ;  tlie  Emjieror's  private  propeity 

and   the   Fivuch   Goveiiiment.   322- 

SPft  ;  the  Emperor's  •'  Moscow  "  and 

"Waterloo."  336;    requiem  for  the 

Emi^rnr.  345.  346 

NaiH>leou.  Prince  Louis  (Napoleon  III.), 

9 

H.I.H.    Prince  (Victor),   7,    154, 

10."),  207.  327,  361,  367 
Prince  .lerome,  4,  58.  83.  84,  90, 
94,  123,  124,  153,  154,  155,  156. 
157,    169,   172,   173,   193.    194, 
195 
I.,  7,  72,  73,  86,  115 
Niehola-s  II.,  H.I.M.  the  Emperor,  306 
Niel,  .Marshal.  88 
Nigra,  Chevalier,  151,  153 
Nishet,  Mr.  J.  F.,  71 
Nelaton,  Dr.,  80,  81,  82,  83,  88 
Nemours,  Due  de,  213 
Nev.  General,  161 
Norfolk,  Duke  of,  159 
North,  Lady,  5 

Oakeley,  Rev.  Canon,  159 
O'Connor.  Mr.  T.  P.,  M.P.,  161 
O'Keefe,  Mr.,  356 
OUiffe,  Sir  Joseph,  69 

Mr.,  69 
Ollivier,  M.   Emile,  84,   85.  107,  108, 

152 
Ormonde,  Marchioness  of,  352 
Orsini,  65,  66 
Osiris,  M,  332 

Padoue,  Due  de,  163,  167,  174 

Pain.  Air.  W.  H.,  4 

Pajol,  General  Vicomte,  126,  127 

Palikao,  General,  100 

Palk,      Sir     Lawrence,     M.P.     (Lord 

Haldon),  44,  45 
Palmerston,  Lord,  67,  110 
Paoli,  M.  Xavier,  341 
Paris,  Comte  de,  314 
Paulin,  Per  ,  279 

Persigny,  Due  de,  20.  30,  66,  67,  103 
Philipjje,  King  Louis,  68,  280 
Pichon,  M.,  334 
Piennes,  Comte.sse  de,  68 
Pierres,  Karon  de,  101 
Pierri,  65 


Pietri,  M.  Franceschini.  5,  10,  78,  79, 
96.  97.  101.  103,  104,  134.  156.  163, 
195,  207,  208,  236.  237.  253.  260, 
261,  279,  281,  303,  314.  311,  344. 
350,  351,  362,  363,  364.  Se.'i,  366, 
367,  368,  370,  874,  375,  376,  377, 
379,  380,  381,  382,  383 
Pietri,  late  M.  (Prefect  of  Police),  79. 

93,  163 
Pius  IX..  Pope,  240 
Poeze,  Comtesse  de  la,  103 
Pommier,  M.  Alfred,  139 
Pourtales,  Melauie,  Comtesse  de,  312 
Powerscourt,  Lord  and  Lady,  351 
Pratt,  Sir  Charles  (Haron  Camden),  1 
Prefect  of  the  Seine,  322,  325 
Premonstratensiaus.  the.  269 
Primoli,  Comte,  253,  314 
Prussia,  King  of  (Emperor  William  I.) 
8,  29.  35,  36,  98,  120,  131,  132,  138, 
149 

Rachel.  Mme.,  312 

Raimbeau.  M  ,  5 

Rainbeaux,  M.  Firmin,  323 

Ranc.  M.,  153 

Regnier,  M.,  21-29,  33,  34 

Reille,  General,  141 

Renard,  Major,  116 

Richard,  M.  Maurice,  84 

Richemont,  Baron  de,  164 

Ricord,  Dr.,  80,  81,  82,  83 

Roberts,  Lord,  92 

Rochefort,  M.  Henri,  317 

Rochefoucauld,  Comtesse  de  la,  312 

Rodney,  Sir  J.,  47 

Rothschilds  (one  of  the  Paris),  71 

Rouher,    M.   Emile,  10,  20,  30,  49,  50 

53.  56,  62,  97,  98.  101,  207,  208 
Rowles,  Miss  Emily,  9 

Saint-Genest,  M.,  61,  62 
Sala,  Mr.  G.  A.,  275 
Sancy,  Comtesse  de,  103 
Santona,  Due  de,  349 
Santos-Dumont,  M.,  317 
Sauley,  Mme.,  103 
Scarfoglio,  M.  Antonio,  356 
Schlosser,  Professor,  115 
Schneider,  Herr,  22 

Mme.  Hortense,  312 
Scott,  Dr. .  279 
Scott-Murray,  Mr.,  159 
Scott-Russell,  Mr.,  44 
Sesto,  Due  de,  69 
Shouvaloflf,  Count,  205 
Simmons,  Sir  J.  Lintorn,  175 
Simpson,  Mrs.,  109 
Smith  -  Dorrien,     Lieutenant  -  General 

Sir  H.,  258 
Soames,  Mr.  G..  46 


INDEX 


409 


Soderini,  Comte,  153 

Spain,  King  and  Queen  of,  260-267 

Stanley,  Dean,  211 

Stanley,  Sir  H.  M.,  46 

Stevens,  Mr.  M.,  46 

Stiehle,  General  von,  28 

Strode,  Mr.  N.,  2,  9,  19 

Sweden,  King  of,  195,  106,  197 

Sydney,  Lady,  14 

Lord,  14,  39,  40,  63,  277 

Talbot,  Admiral  Sir  Charles,  47 

Talbot,  Colonel  and  Mrs.,  279 

Target,  M.,  47 

Tascher  de  la  Pagerie,  Due  de,  66 

Temps,  Editor  of  the,  143 

Tennyson,  Lord,  55 

Teschard,  M.,  51 

Mme.,  51 
Thiers,  M.,  20,  28,  48,  50,  56,  57,  58. 

68,  132,  155,  156,  183,  184 
Thompson,  Sir  Henry,  75,  76,  78,  87, 

88,  97,  98 
Tour  d'Auvergne,  Prince  de  la,  1 
Trochu,  General,  240 
Turenne,  Comte  Louis  de,  141 
Turquet,  M.  Andre,  275 

Uhlmann.  M.,  10,  177,  188 
Ullrich,  Mr.  R.  C,  316,  317 

Valle,  Senor  Zarco  del,  349 
Vassoigne,  General  de,  127 
Vaubert,  General,  6 
VaiTghan,  Mrs.,  279,  367 

Miss,  261,  344 

Mr.,  261 


Vergeot,  Alexandrine,  118 

Vernon    Harcourt,    Right    Hon.    W., 

158 
Vescey,  Mme.,  341 
Vesey,  Miss  Isabel,  350 
Veuillot,  M.  Louis,  276 
Victoria,   H.M.    Queen,   4,  39,  40,  41, 

42,  63,  67,  87,  89,  90,  106,  112,  122, 

159,   163,  178,   179,  188,    190,   250, 

271,  306,  313 
Visconti-Venosta,  151 
Vitmann,  Dr.,  345 
Vougy,  M.  de,  1 

Wales,    H.R.H.   the  Prince  of  (H.M. 

King  Edward  VIL),  13,  39,  63,  75, 

90,  91,  211,  214 
Wales,    Princess     of     (H.M.     Queen 

Alexandra),  159 
Wallace,  Sir  Richard,  105,  111,  311 
Walton,  Izaak,  275 
Weiss,  M.  J.  .).,  131 
Westphalia,  King  of,  7 
White,  Mr.  G.  Colvin,  316 
Whitman,  Mr.  Sidney,  110 
William    L,    German   Emperor,    1,  6, 

22,  48,  158 
William   IL,  German   Emperor,    343, 

344 
Williamson,  Mr.  Benedict,  268 
Willy,  Mme.  Colette,  70 
Wimpffen,  General  de,  127,  129,  149. 

150 
Wing,  Lieutenant,  277 
Winterhalter,  M.,  313 
Wood,  Field-Marshal  Sir  Evelyn,  249, 

279 


THE   END 


BILLIMO  AND  B0N3,    LTD.,    I'RINTEKS,  OUILDrOBD 


I 


DC28U.2    LJ3    iviu 
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ine    Empress    Eugenie,    137U- 
1  v*  U 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


AA      001  339  394 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CA.niVERSIDE  LIBRARY 


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